Tiger Woods' wife Elin skipped his much-hyped press conference Friday morning.
Instead, Woods, 34, stood alone in sports coat and dress shirt as he addressed a small group of friends, colleagues and close associates at the clubhouse at TPC Sawgrass, home of the PGA Tour, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (The Golf Writers Association of America boycotted the conference because Woods did not allow reporters to ask any questions.)
"I am deeply sorry for my irresponsible and selfish behavior I engaged in," he began.
He later said, "People want to know how I could have done these things to my wife and my children."
He went on to say that "Elin and I have started the process of discussing the damage of my behavior."
He said his apology will not come through words, but "it will come from my behavior over time. We have a lot to discuss."
But he added: "What we say to each other will stay between the two of us."
He also said that he was "angered" by reports that Elin, 30, hit him the night before Thanksgiving.
He said his wife deserves "praise, not blame."
Whether or not Elin would appear at Friday's conference had been speculated. Initial reports said she would not attend, but she caused chatter Thursday — the day before her husband's mea culpa — by stepping out in head-to-toe Nike wear. Nike has refused to drop Woods as its spokesperson, despite his sex scandal.