Excerpts from Tiger Woods’ statement

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Excerpts from Tiger Woods’ statement

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Excerpts from Tiger Woods’ statement Friday:

I want to say to each of you, simply and directly, I am deeply sorry for my irresponsible and selfish behavior I engaged in. …

As Elin pointed out to me, my real apology to her will not come in the form of words; it will come from my behavior over time. …

Some people have speculated that Elin somehow hurt or attacked me on Thanksgiving night. It angers me that people would fabricate a story like that. Elin never hit me that night or any other night. There has never been an episode of domestic violence in our marriage, ever. …

I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated. What I did is not acceptable, and I am the only person to blame. …

I knew my actions were wrong, but I convinced myself that normal rules didn’t apply. I never thought about who I was hurting. Instead, I thought only about myself. I ran straight through the boundaries that a married couple should live by. I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame, I didn’t have to go far to find them. …

I hurt my wife, my kids, my mother, my wife’s family, my friends, my foundation, and kids all around the world who admired me. …

Parents used to point to me as a role model for their kids. I owe all those families a special apology. I want to say to them that I am truly sorry. …

It’s hard to admit that I need help, but I do. For 45 days from the end of December to early February, I was in inpatient therapy receiving guidance for the issues I’m facing. …

I understand people have questions. I understand the press wants to ask me for the details and the times I was unfaithful. I understand people want to know whether Elin and I will remain together. Please know that as far as I’m concerned, every one of these questions and answers is a matter between Elin and me. These are issues between a husband and a wife. …

Some people have made up things that never happened. They said I used performance-enhancing drugs. This is completely and utterly false. …

… my behavior doesn’t make it right for the media to follow my two-and-a-half-year-old daughter to school and report the school’s location. They staked out my wife and they pursued my mom. Whatever my wrongdoings, for the sake of my family, please leave my wife and kids alone. …

… I was raised a Buddhist, and I actively practiced my faith from childhood until I drifted away from it in recent years. Buddhism teaches that a craving for things outside ourselves causes an unhappy and pointless search for security. It teaches me to stop following every impulse and to learn restraint. Obviously I lost track of what I was taught. …

I do plan to return to golf one day, I just don’t know when that day will be. …