For 3rd time, Woods cancels his meeting with police

WINDERMERE, Fla. (AP) — Tiger Woods finally gave his side of the story Sunday — on his Web site, not to police — and took the blame for an “embarrassing” car crash that gave him cuts, bruises and public scrutiny like never before.

His statement failed to clear up any questions about the middle-of-the-night accident outside his Isleworth estate in which his wife told police she used a golf club to smash the back windows of the Cadillac SUV to help him out.

“This situation is my fault, and it’s obviously embarrassing to my family and me,” Woods said on his Web site. “I’m human and I’m not perfect. I will certainly make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

The statement was posted around 2 p.m. Sunday, about an hour after Woods’ attorney told the Florida Highway Patrol that for the third straight day golf’s No. 1 player would be unavailable to talk to troopers.

This time, the meeting was not rescheduled.

Even so, Sgt. Kim Montes of FHP said troopers went to Woods’ $2.4 million estate anyway, only for attorney Mark NeJame to turn them away. The attorney gave troopers Woods’ driver’s license, registration and insurance as required by law for such accidents.

Woods said the crash was a private matter, and he intended to keep it that way.

“Although I understand there is curiosity, the many false, unfounded and malicious rumors that are currently circulating about my family and me are irresponsible,” he said. “The only person responsible for the accident is me. My wife, Elin, acted courageously when she saw I was hurt and in trouble. She was the first person to help me. Any other assertion is absolutely false.”

Woods is scheduled to compete at his Chevron World Challenge, which starts Thursday in Thousand Oaks, Calif., although his tournament director did not know Woods’ status for the tournament — whether he would play or even attend.

Even with his first public comments on the 2:25 a.m. Friday accident, Woods left several questions.

UWhere he was going at that time of the night?

UHow did he lose control of his SUV at such a speed that the air bags didn’t deploy?

UWhy were both rear windows of the Cadillac Escalade smashed?

Uf it was a careless mistake, why not speak to state troopers trying to wrap the investigation?

“We have been informed by the Florida Highway Patrol that further discussion with them is both voluntary and optional,” Mark Steinberg, his agent at IMG, said in an e-mail. “Although Tiger realizes that there is a great deal of public curiosity, it has been conveyed to FHP that he simply has nothing more to add and wishes to protect the privacy of his family.”

Woods’ wife turned troopers away from their home in the exclusive gated community outside Orlando on Friday, the day of the accident, because she said he was sleeping. Steinberg called troopers en route to Woods’ house on Saturday and postponed the meeting until Sunday.

The accident came two days after the National Enquirer published a story alleging that Woods had been seeing a New York night club hostess, and that they recently were together in Melbourne, where Woods competed in the Australian Masters.

The woman, Rachel Uchitel, denied having an affair with Woods when contacted by The Associated Press.

Los Angeles attorney Gloria Allred confirmed she was representing Uchitel when she was reached by the AP on Sunday.