Woods takes blame for accident

MIAMI: Golf superstar Tiger Woods broke his silence two days after crashing his car on Sunday, saying the “embarrassing” accident was his fault and hitting out at “unfounded and malicious rumors.”

In a statement posted on his website, Woods said he was solely responsible for the accident, which attracted worldwide attention and sparked speculation about his private life. “This situation is my fault, and it’s obviously embarrassing to my family and me,” Woods said.

But Woods again declined to speak to Florida Highway Patrol troopers, who had expected to talk with him on Sunday afternoon as part of their investigation into the accident. Officers were to meet Woods at his home and discuss how his car came to hit a fire hydrant and then a tree near his $2 million home in Florida.

Woods, a 14-time major champion, is one of the best-known athletes in the world. According to Forbes business magazine, he is the first athlete to break through the billion-dollar earnings mark.