'We probably thought he was a better guy than he is'

The pro golfer who introduced Tiger Woods to his wife Elin Nordegren says he owes her an apology for introducing the pair.

Swedish golf professional Jesper Parnevik introduced Woods and Nordegren eight years ago when she was working as a nanny for the Swedish pro and his wife Mia.

Woods met Nordegren during the 2001 British Open at Royal Lytham in England.

"I am very sad of course," Parnevik told the Golf Channel, Reuters reported.

"I really feel sorry for Elin since me and my wife were at fault for hooking her up with him.

"I would probably need to apologise to her (Elin)," he says.

Parnevik, a five-time winner of the PGA tour, is the son of Swedish entertainer Bo Parnevik, and has played with Woods numerous times.

"We probably thought he was a better guy than he is then," he went on to tell media at this week's PGA Tour qualifying tournament at Bear Lakes Country Club in Florida.

"It's a private thing, of course, but when you are the guy he is, the world's best athlete, you should think more before you do stuff and maybe not 'Just do it,' like Nike says."

Woods became embroiled in controversy after rolling his Caddillac SUV outside his Florida home on Friday (local time).

Rumours started soon after Friday's crash when Woods refused to speak to police, fuelling speculation that he had been fleeing Elin after she became violently angry at reports he was seeing New York nightclub hostess Rachel Uchitel.

Although Woods and Uchitel denied the affair, more women have come forward claiming they had affairs with Woods, including 24-year-old former reality television contestant Jaimee Grubbs.

Grubbs told gossip magazine Us Weekly she has hundreds of text and voice messages from the golf great, including many texts of a sexual nature.

These rumours prompted a statement from Woods today, apologising for "transgressions" in his family life.

"I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart," Woods said.

In his statement on his website, Woods admitted he was "far short of perfect" and said "I have not been true to my values and the behaviour my family deserves".

- NZ HERALD STAFF