How did Tiger Woods explain his split with wife Elin Nordegren?

Tiger Woods is arguably the greatest player to have graced the sport. The 15-time major champion barely has anything left to conquer in the golfing world. Alongside his play, his life has also been a matter of great intrigue and curiosity for fans, as is the norm with famous people. However, a 2009 event nearly threatened the golf legend's legacy when he publicly admitted to infidelity.

This open admission of infidelity, along with the problems that plagued their marriage, led to Woods' divorce from former model Elin Nordegren in 2010. The stories of Tiger Woods' infidelities came to light after reports emerged about the golfer's affair with a nightclub manager. Soon other women came forward and claimed to have had an affair with the golf legend. A s*x scandal about Woods soon surfaced, massively adding to the already swirling controversies.

Woods acknowledged his infidelity in a statement that said,

"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."

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What did Tiger Woods say about his divorce?

With two kids, Sam and Charlie, between them, Woods and Elin Nordegren's divorce was a complicated one. When stories of Woods' scandal came up, it became a tough job for the sportsperson to explain all of this to his then-wife and children. Speaking to the press at the PGA Tour’s headquarters in Florida in 2010, Woods said:

"I was unfaithful, I had affairs and I cheated. What I did was unacceptable.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."

The hardest part of the process was explaining it to his kids. Tiger Woods and Nordegren reportedly remained friends after their divorce and decided to co-parent their two children. Determined to fix his mistake, Woods tried to explain to his kids about the infidelity that led to their marriage falling apart. Woods said in an interview with TIME:

"We’ve worked so hard at co-parenting, to make sure that their lives are fantastic. For instance, I’ve told her this, I’ve taken the initiative with the kids, and told them upfront, 'Guys, the reason why we’re not in the same house, why we don’t live under the same roof, mummy and daddy, is because daddy made some mistakes'."

He continued:

"I just want them to understand before they get to the internet age and they log on to something or have their friends tell them something. I want it to come from me so that when they come of age, I’ll just tell them the real story...I was to blame, and so I’m taking initiative with the kids."

Woods has actively been a part of his children's lives, with him competing alongside his 12-year-old son Charlie at a special PGA Tour family tournament.

Tiger Woods' affair and the s*x scandal remain some of the most controversial and widely covered events in the history of the sport. This continues to be a matter of discussion, despite Woods having resolved most of his issues with Nordegren. Woods has even called Nordegren his best friend. He said:

"We’re able to pick up the phone, and we talk to each other all the time. … It’s fun. She talks to me about her life, I talk to her about my life....We try and help each other out on all occasions. And we work through it with the kids, the parenting program."

Tiger Woods has also claimed that she is his best friend because of the kids.