DISGRACED golfer Tiger Woods broke his silence today, telling a news conference that he was “deeply sorry for my irresponsible and selfish behaviour.”

DISGRACED golfer Tiger Woods broke his silence today, telling a news conference that he was “deeply sorry for my irresponsible and selfish behaviour.”

Reading from a statement, a composed and smartly dressed Woods said: “Every one of you has good reason to be critical of me.”

He dismissed reports his wife had ever attacked him adding: “I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated.... I'm the only person to blame.”

Woods said: "I was wrong. I was foolish. I don't get to play by different rules.' He added: "It's up to me to start living a life of integrity.'

He continued: "It's hard to admit that I need help but I do,' adding that after therapy he was now taking the "first steps in the right direction'.

Woods said he understood that people wanted to know "how I could have done these things to my wife Elin and my children'.

He said: "Elin and I have started the process of discussing the damage caused my behaviour. As Elin pointed out to me, my real apology to her will not come in the form of words, it will come from my behaviour over time.

"We have a lot to discuss. However, what we say to each other will remain between the two of us.'

He said he had let down his fans and caused worry to his business partners.

The golfer said: "I hurt my wife, my kids, my mother, my wife's family, my friends, my foundation and kids all around the world who admired me.'

He also revealed he had not ruled out returning to golf this year, but that he did not have a date, and he added that he would be returning for further therapy tomorrow.

Woods said he had spent 45 days in inpatient therapy "receiving guidance for the issues I am facing'.

The 34-year-old said he knew he had "bitterly disappointed'' his friends and family, and made them question who he was.

He shut himself away after a mystery car crash outside his home on November 27 last year.

At the time there was speculation that the collision took place after a fight with his wife, but Woods flatly denied that she would ever hurt him.

"For all that I have done, I am so sorry. I have a lot to atone for, but there is one issue I really want to discuss. Some people have speculated that Elin somehow hurt or attacked me on Thanksgiving night. It angers me that people would fabricate a story like that.

"Elin never hit me that night or any other night. There has never been an episode of domestic violence in our marriage. Ever.''

He praised his spouse for showing "enormous grace and poise'' as lurid stories emerged of her husband's alleged adultery.

Woods went on: "The issue involved here was my repeated irresponsible behaviour. I was unfaithful, I had affairs, I cheated.''

The golfer, who became emotional at the end of the press conference, did not take questions from the handful of journalists who were invited to hear him give his statement, and he ended by hugging his mother Kultida.