Tiger keeps everyone guessing

Los Angeles - The golf world will have to make do without Tiger Woods a while longer.

Woods emerged from hiding to own up to his personal failings, but he left fans and other golfers guessing as to when he will return to the game he has long dominated.

"I do plan to return to golf one day, I just don't know when that day will be," the 14-time major champion said. "I don't rule out that it will be this year."

As Britain's six-time major champion Nick Faldo told the Golf Channel: "We're back to square one."

Ever since Woods announced on December 11 that he was taking an "indefinite break" from golf, speculation has raged over the future of the man who has been linked to affairs with 14 women.

An appearance at the first major of the year, the Masters at Augusta National in April, now appears to unlikely.

"I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated," Woods told the audience, which did not include his wife Elin Nordegren.

Woods said he was heading back to his therapy program, where he has already spent 45 days after a November 27 car crash unleashed tawdry tales of extramarital affairs.

"I don't want to minimize the long-term impact," US PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said of the prospect of a prolonged Woods' absence.

"But the good news from today is that, one, he plans to return; two, he could return as early as this year; and three, he clearly has taken the first very visible step in the road to that return.

"So that pleases all of us a very great deal."

John Ondrush, a Long Island golf fitness specialist who worked with tour pros during the US Open at Bethpage Black last year, said everybody should remember who Tiger Woods is.

"He is the best golfer ever," Ondrush noted. "His drive, his determination, his focus are second to none, even if his moral judgments were horrible."

The fact that Woods allowed himself to be photographed jogging and practicing golf this past week, decked out in his Nike gear, meant he was on the way, Ondrush said.

Finchem was among the handpicked audience of some 40 people who heard Woods apologize in person at the tour headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

But the 34-year-old golfer's remarks were also directed at a global audience as he extended his apology beyond his family and friends to legions of fans, other golfers, corporate partners -- all those who have a stake in the billionaire athlete as a global brand.

Opinions on Woods' performance ran the gamut: He was genuine; he was disingenuous. He was arrogant; he was humble. His body language showed he was sincere; his gestures were pre-programmed and robotic.

It was a foretaste of what Woods can expect when he finally returns to public life, when reporters are free to fire questions and fans can take their fallen hero to task.

The strict control of the event irked many, but others still considered it an effective first step for Woods.

"You know, he's had these press conferences over the past 14 years," Finchem said. "The subject matter has been very different. It has been about 'How did you play and how do you plan to play and how are the kids.'

"This a different situation. But he will re-enter that arena eventually," he added.

Finchem also addressed predictions that Woods' shredded personal reputation and punctured aura of invincibility would make for some raucous scenes when he returns to competition.

"Obviously when you have one of the leading, recognizable persons in sports it brings out a lot of individuals that say things and do things, and we have to be prepared for some of that," he said.

"But hopefully we can maintain the decorum that we've had historically for our golf tournaments."

Notah Begay, a PGA pro and Woods' friend from college days at Stanford University, withdrew from the US PGA Tour event in Mexico this week to be present for the public statement.

Begay said he was moved to see his friend "suffering and taking on a tremendous amount of responsibility and having to be held accountable for actions that nobody would condone or approve."

As to the fundamental life changes Woods vowed to make, Begay acknowledged: "It's a little bit harder than making a swing change."

Despite Woods' undeniable importance to the tour, Finchem said he hoped the golfer must first sort out his personal issues.

"We're supportive of whenever he comes back, whether it's three weeks from now, or three months from now," Finchem said."That's less important than when he comes back, he's prepared to play, to resume his career in a positive way so that he's there for the long haul."