Woods cancels meeting

WINDERMERE, Fla. — 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 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.

“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.”

Steinberg called troopers en route to Woods’ house Saturday and postponed the meeting until Sunday.

“We’re just continuing our traffic crash investigation,” Montes said. “If we have somebody who we feel is pertinent to the investigation, then we will interview them.”

She said the 911 caller was interviewed Saturday, and investigators might speak with other people who were at the scene as well.

The FHP released the 911 call from an unidentified neighbor Sunday.

“I have a neighbor, he hit the tree. And we came out here just to see what was going on. I see him and he’s laying down,” the neighbor told dispatchers without ever identifying the victim as Woods.

According to the FHP accident report, Woods had just pulled out of his driveway when he struck a fire hydrant and then a tree. Woods said he had cuts, bruising and “right now I’m a little sore.”