Tiger Woods recently sat down for a rare one-on-one interview with journalist Charlie Rose, and things got pretty interesting. The conversation predictably centered on talent, fame, and regrets — all three of which Woods would seem to have plenty.
When Rose asked Woods about the cost of fame and the burdens he has felt from his notoriety, the pro golfer awkwardly avoided the elephant in the room: his affairs and the time he spent in a rehabilitation center for sex addiction.
Woods had a quick answer, saying his biggest regret in life is not attending Stanford for an extra year. Yes, this is seriously his biggest regret in life. You have to read the uncomfortable back-and-forth to feel the tension of Rose accepting that as an appropriate answer.
"The only regret I have in life is not spending another year at Stanford."
"That's the ONLY regret?"
"That's the only regret I wish I'd had..."
"— Of all the things that have happened to you?"
"...The other things I have been through have been tough, but they have been great for me. I just wish I had gone one more year at Stanford."
Later in the conversation, Woods admitted that yes, he's "made a bunch of mistakes." As a follow-up, Rose asked if Woods has told his kids that he regrets those "mistakes," to which Woods quickly replied, "I don't. I haven't said that." It's clear that Woods does not want to label his infidelity as a "regret."
Woods' relationship troubles started on November 25, 2009 when The National Enquirer released a report saying the athlete was cheating on his wife, Swedish model Elin Nordegren, with a New York club promoter, Rachel Uchitel. Two days later, Woods infamously crashed his Escalade into a tree at 2:30 a.m. Rumors of domestic violence between the couple also began to surface (it was reported that Nordegren attacked him with a golf club).
In the years following, his estranged wife moved back to Sweden, Woods lost lucrative endorsement deals, took a hiatus from the sport he loved, and put his entire family, including his two young kids, in the limelight. He went to counseling for sex addiction, and was deemed a serial cheater after another woman came forward saying she was having an affair with Woods, too. Nordegren and Woods' divorce was finalized in August of 2010, and neither has indulged in many press events since.
However, in a recent interview with People from September 2016, Nordegren acknowledged that she has forgiven Woods, saying that they live 25 minutes away from each other and remain close friends. After Nordegren publicly offering her forgiveness, it's a bit surprising to hear that Woods seems unapologetic about his past behavior.
Watch a clip from the interview, below.
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