Tiger Woods turned tail again yesterday and, for the third straight day, refused to talk to cops who showed up at his doorstep.
Instead, Woods issued a cryptic statement, trying to explain away his bizarre single-car accident outside his Florida mansion early Friday, insisting that it was his fault and that his golf-club-wielding wife had “acted courageously.”
The world’s greatest golfer groused that there’s no way he’s going to dish about the details of the “embarrassing” distraction surrounding his SUV crack-up.
He also indirectly denied reports that he and his wife, Elin Nordegrin, were fighting over his rumored affair with a New York nightclub hostess when Elin followed him out and smashed the vehicle’s windows in a jealous rage.
PHOTOS: SCENE OF TIGER WOODS CRASH
PHOTOS: TIGER WOODS’ ALLEGED MISTRESS
Just after the accident, Elin told cops she had smashed the windows of Tiger’s Cadillac Escalade with a golf club to reach him and yank him to safety.
But she never called 911 after supposedly hearing the crash while in their home at 2:25 a.m. Friday — and the neighbor who did alert authorities didn’t mention Elin being at the scene.
“This is a private matter, and I want to keep it that way,” Woods said in a statement released after he abruptly canceled yet another planned interview with the Florida Highway Patrol.
Cops first tried to talk to Tiger on Friday, but were told he was sleeping. Elin shooed the officers away again on Saturday.
And yesterday, Tiger blew off a 3 p.m. scheduled interview at his lavish $2.4 million mansion, even after cops showed up on his doorstep.
“They asked to speak to Mr. Woods and were told he was not available,” said police spokeswoman, Sgt. Kim Montes. “We’d like to get his side of the story. That’s why we’ve gone back three times.”
Frustrated Florida Highway Patrol officers reportedly may seek a warrant for medical records from the hospital where Tiger was taken after the crash. TMZ reported last night that probers want to determine if his injuries were caused by a car crash or by domestic violence.
The Web site also said Elin is now telling cops she went looking for her husband in a golf cart, came upon the accident and used a golf club to break the car’s rear windows so she could get inside.
But when police first arrived, she said she’d walked out of the house, seen the crash and went back inside to get the club.
Authorities could use the fact that she changed her story to provide probable cause a crime was committed, which is needed to procure a warrant, TMZ said.
The cops did manage to pick up Tiger’s license, registration and insurance information — all that’s legally required.
But “it’d be optimal to get his side,” Montes said. “We have the path of the vehicle. As to why he lost control, we’d like to get a statement explaining his side of the story.”
One thing that cops want to know is how both back passenger windows were shattered, Montes said. Neither the front windshield nor the driver’s-side windows were damaged in the apparent head-on impact with a tree and hydrant.
Charges are still pending, she added.
In a tape of a 911 call released yesterday — the only call for help that was received — a neighbor told dispatchers that a black Cadillac Escalade had hit a tree. “I have someone down in front of my house,” the neighbor said.
He never mentions Woods by name.
“I came out here just to see what was going on,” the neighbor, who was not identified, told dispatchers. “I see him, and he’s laying down.”
One woman is heard in the background yelling, “What happened?”
Woods posted a statement on his Web site coming clean — kind of.
“This situation is my fault, and it’s obviously embarrassing to my family and me,” he said. “I’m human and I’m not perfect. I will certainly make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
He doesn’t say why he was driving from his home so early — or address the report that he and Elin were battling over a story in the National Enquirer about his supposed affair with Rachel Uchitel, who lost her fiancé in the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers.
Uchitel denies an affair.
Tiger went on, “Although I understand there is curiosity, the many false, unfounded and malicious rumors that are currently circulating about my family and me are irresponsible.
“The only person responsible for the accident is me. My wife, Elin, acted courageously when she saw I was hurt and in trouble. She was the first person to help me. Any other assertion is absolutely false.”
Tiger’s flacks and lawyers circled the wagons around the famously private superstar.
“We have been informed by the Florida Highway Patrol that further discussion with [Woods and his wife] is both voluntary and optional,” Mark Steinberg, Woods’ agent at IMG, said in an e-mail.
“Although Tiger realizes that there is a great deal of public curiosity, it has been conveyed to FHP that he simply has nothing more to add and wishes to protect the privacy of his family.”
And lawyer Mark NeJame — after putting off calls to explain what fouled up the planned interview — brushed off any further explanation yesterday.
“We stand by Mr. Woods’ previous statement regarding his privacy, and other than that, I have nothing further to add at this point,” he curtly said in an e-mail.
Woods’ pal, ex-NBA star Charles Barkley, told The Post, “I just hope he tells his side of the story about what happened. You’ve got to face the music, because it is what it is. Not talking about it can make it worse.”
Woods is to host his Chevron World Challenge this week in Thousand Oaks, Calif., which benefits his foundation. Organizers said he is expected to attend a news conference on the tournament tomorrow.
“We do not know if Tiger is playing,” said Greg McLaughlin, the tournament director.
Statement released yesterday on Tigerwoods.com
As you all know, I had a single-car accident earlier this week, and sustained some injuries. I have some cuts, bruising and right now I’m pretty sore.
This situation is my fault, and it’s obviously embarrassing to my family and me. I’m human and I’m not perfect. I will certainly make sure this doesn’t happen again.
This is a private matter and I want to keep it that way. Although I understand there is curiosity, the many false, unfounded and malicious rumors that are currently circulating about my family and me are irresponsible.
The only person responsible for the accident is me. My wife, Elin, acted courageously when she saw I was hurt and in trouble. She was the first person to help me. Any other assertion is absolutely false.
This incident has been stressful and very difficult for Elin, our family and me. I appreciate all the concern and well wishes that we have received. But, I would also ask for some understanding that my family and I deserve some privacy no matter how intrusive some people can be.
911 Call Transcript
Female dispatcher: “911, what’s your emergency?”
Neighbor: “This is uh . . . in our subdivision. I need an ambulance immediately. I have someone down in front of my house. They hit a pole. I came out to see what . . .”
FD: “Is this a car accident, sir? Is it a car accident?”
—
N: “Yes, it is a car accident, yes. I need you, yes.”
FD: “Now, are they trapped inside the vehicle?”
N: “No, they’re laying on the ground now.”
FD: “OK, stay on the line for medical. Don’t hang up now, OK? And it’s in front of your house, correct?”
—
FD: “OK, sir, medical is on the line, sir, OK.”
Male dispatcher: “Fire rescue, what’s your address?”
N: “Yes, Windermere, Florida, in our subdivision.”
MD: “What happened, what’s wrong?”
N: “I have a neighbor. He hit the tree. And we came out here just to see what was going on. I see him, and he’s laying down.”
MD: “You mean it was an auto accident?”
N: “Yes.”
MD: “OK, is he outside or inside his car?”
N: “Out . . . “
MD: “Your phone broke up. I heard inside. You there? Hello?”
FD: “Hello, sir, you there?”
MD: “Your phone broke up. There?”
N: “OK, I got you.”
—
MD: “OK, are you able to tell if he’s breathing?”
N: “Uh, no, I can’t tell right now.”
MD: “OK, we do have help on the way. What color is his car, too?”
N: “It’s a black Escalade. (Female voice in background at scene: “What happened?”)
MD: “Is anyone able to open it for you?”
N: “We’re trying to figure it out right now.”
FD: “OK, is he trapped inside of the vehicle, or is he on the ground?”
N: “We’re just trying to get a police here right now. We don’t know what happened. We’re figuring it all out right now. We’re on the phone with police right now.” (Inaudible)
MD: “Your phone is breaking up. Can you hear me?”
N: “Yes.”
MD: “OK, while I have paramedics on the way I’m just going to stay on the phone with you. If you find out further just let me know. I’m going to stay on the phone, OK?”
—
N: “Yeah.”
—
MD: “As soon as I know, I’ll let you know how far away they are, too.”
N: “OK, I can handle it. OK.”
MD: “Are you with him right now?”
N: “Yes, I’m with him.”
MD: “OK, tell me how his breathing’s doing, if you’re able to . . .”
N: “Take it easy.”
MD: “But he is breathing?”
FD: “Hello? Sir, are you there? Hello?”
MD: “I heard a click, but . . . “
FD: “Yeah, I’m hearing that, too. Hello?”
MD: “Oh, his phone must have gone out of range.”
FD: “Yeah.”
MD: “It looked like he was on a house phone, so as he went to the exit, he probably lost his connection. We do have help on the way. We should be there in just a couple of minutes.”
FD: “OK, we’re going, too.”
MD: “OK, appreciate that. Thank you.”
FD: “You’re welcome.”
Additional reporting by Robert Martinez in Orlando, Fla., and George Willis in NY