Tiger Walks Away from Golf After Admitting to Affairs!

TIGER Woods has decided to temporarily walk away from golf after admitting his affairs for the first time. Last month, Tiger crashed into a tree just yards from his front door. After his accident, he required hospital treatment. This raised a media frenzy, especially in light of the fact that TMZ.com exposed the issue of Tiger's affair with New York socialite Rachel Uchitel. According to TMZ, this led to a confrontation between Tiger and his wife shortly before he got into his SUV that morning. Since the accident, several other women have come forward admitting their affairs with Tiger, including admissions of infidelity in his own home. All of this news coverage has impacted his family and his golf career.

In a statement on Tiger's official website he said: “After much soul searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf. 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.”

I am disappointed in Tiger. I have always viewed him as a role model. The story of his dad mentoring his young son at such an early age into becoming the world's greatest golfer and achieving the American Dream was a lesson all father's wish they could achieve. I compare Tiger to any minority who has acheived great success, including our President Barack Obama.

To find, alas, that Tiger is just a man is disappointing, but understandable. As I've reported previously, several studies tell us that 50 - 60% of men cheat on their wives. These same studies say 45 - 55% of women cheat on their husbands. For a celebrity of Tiger's stature, with women constantly being the aggressor, it is understandable, though I am extremely disappointed in him.

Anyone who puts themselves in the public eye and commercially sells their image to various marketers should expect the American Public to question their public indiscretions. In the past, I've written about misdeeds of various politicians or individuals in the public eye. Bill Clinton cheated on Hillary and continued to cheat even after he was discovered. Yet he lied not only to Hillary but to the American Public. SC Governor Sanford lied to his wife and to the American Public and later crooned about his profound love for his mistress. Jenny Sanford is divorcing him. Former Presidential Candidate John Edwards lied to his wife and to the American Public about his affair with his mistress, promising to marry her after his wife Elizabeth died. These three politicians bear much more responsibility to the American Public then National Golf legend Tiger Woods. At least Tiger is admitting the truth and is stepping out of the Public View temporarily.

I realize Tiger and his family are in great pain right now. How do you forgive the unforgivable... the overblown ego that permitted these actions, the loss of trust, the sex acts themselves? I can't imagine the pain their family and extended family are going through right now as they go through these trials so much in the public eye. Tiger's mother and mother-in-law are particularly suffering.

I am also suffering and so are all of Tiger's admirers. He was our role-model, our icon who acheived the American Dream. "If he can do it, we can do it...Si Se Puede!" And what is worse, all those naysayer/backstabbers who wished and dreamed Tiger would fail, all those golfers who had no hope of ever even coming close to Tiger's stats, are all laughing now. Remember Fuzzy Zoeller's comment when Tiger won The Masters? Zoeller, referring to the following year's Master's Club Champion's Dinner, for which the defending champion selects the menu, said, "He's doing quite well, pretty impressive. That little boy is driving well and he's putting well. He's doing everything it takes to win. So, you know what you guys do when he gets in here? You pat him on the back and say congratulations and enjoy it and tell him not to serve fried chicken next year. Got it." Zoeller then smiled, snapped his fingers, and walked away before turning and adding, "or collard greens or whatever the hell they serve."

For many years to come, Tiger will be a figure of fun to comedians great and small. Tiger Woods will have to put up with those jokes and jabs for at least 20 more years. My prayers go to his wife, his children, his mom and mother-in-law, and to Tiger himself.