Miami: Tiger Woods said on Friday he would take an indefinite break from professional golf and acknowledged marital infidelity and the pain he had caused his family.
Engulfed in a storm of media attention since being involved in a minor car accident outside his Florida home on Nov. 27, the world's No. 1 golfer said in a statement on his website that he was profoundly sorry and asked for forgiveness.
Woods, a magnet for sports sponsorships and endorsements, admitted infidelity for the first time since the early morning car accident precipitated a flurry of media reports he had engaged in extramarital affairs with numerous women.
Friday's statement from the married father of two young children went a step further than one he issued on Dec. 2, when he owned up to "transgressions."
"I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children.
"I want to say again to everyone that I am profoundly sorry and that I ask forgiveness. It may not be possible to repair the damage I've done, but I want to do my best to try," said Woods.
He added: "After much soul searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf. I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father, and person."
The time of the crash at around 2 a.m. and his refusal to answer police questions, followed by reports he had argued with his wife that night, triggered worldwide speculation about his lifestyle.
Woods suffered facial cuts and bruises in the one-car accident.
Spectacular career
The greatest golfer of his generation, Woods is far and away the top draw on the PGA tour and is chasing Jack Nicklaus' record for victories in major tournaments and the unofficial title of best golfer ever. He has won 71 times on the tour in a spectacular career that includes 14 major wins.
Perhaps the world's richest athlete, Woods, according to Forbes magazine, is the first athlete to earn $1 billion.
The PGA Tour said it supported Woods' decision to focus on his family.
"His priorities are where they need to be, and we will continue to respect and honor his family's request for privacy," the tour said in a written statement. "We look forward to Tiger's return to the PGA Tour when he determines the time is right for him."
The scandal has badly dented the American golfer's carefully preserved image as a perfectionist sportsman, which formed the basis of lucrative endorsements by various companies.
His commercial sponsors and backers have said they are standing by him.
The media scrutiny prompted Woods to win a British court order banning publication in Britain of any photos or video showing him nude or having sex.
British law firm Schillings, which specializes in protecting the reputations of celebrities, obtained the injunction on Woods' behalf on Thursday at the High Court in London, partner Simon Smith told Reuters by phone on Friday.
A letter from the lawyers accompanying the injunction contains a statement that "this Order is not to be taken as an admission that any such photographs exist."
US and British tabloid newspapers and media websites have published comments from and photos of a parade of women, including cocktail waitresses and porn stars, who have claimed relationships with Woods, who is married to Elin Nordegren, a Swedish former model.
At least one US publication has said it has been offered pictures of Woods naked.
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