Tiger Woods has announced that he taking an indefinite break from professional golf, admitting he cheated on his wife and bowing to the pressure of two weeks of frenzied media scrutiny of his private life.
The golfer made the announcement in his latest posting on his website in which he confessed 'infidelity' for the first time, said he was sorry and asked his family, friends and supporters for forgiveness.
Woods had previously owned up only to 'transgressions' in response to multiple media allegations of numerous extramarital flings.
The allegations followed a bizarre, minor early morning car accident outside his Florida home on 27 November that rapidly ballooned into a full-fledged sex scandal that turned his previously unblemished life and career upside down.
'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,' he said in a statement.
His previous perfectionist image was a magnet for lucrative sports sponsorships and endorsements, and according to Forbes magazine, he was the first athlete to earn $1bn, making him one of the world's wealthiest sports figures.
'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,' Woods said.
'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,' he added.
The announcement by the greatest golfer of his generation left the world of professional golf reeling, although his closest collaborators expressed understanding.
His agent and friend Mark Steinberg said: 'The entirety of someone's life is more important than just a professional career.
'What matters most is a young family that is trying to cope with difficult life issues in a secluded and caring way. Whenever Tiger may return to the game should be on the family's terms alone.
Gillette has said it is 'limiting' Woods' role in marketing campaigns to help preserve his privacy.
