Tiger Woods speaks on wife's anger over his affairs

Tiger Woods finally speaks on the affair scandal that rocked his career and marriage

Tiger Woods has given his first interview since the November car crash that made his multiple infidelities public knowledge, and has spoken candidly on the subsequent affair scandal.

Speaking to ESPN, he explained: 'I was living a life of a lie, I really was. Stripping away denial and rationalisation you start coming to the truth of who you really are and that can be very ugly.'

As for wife Elin's reaction to his cheating, he revealed: 'She was hurt. Very hurt. Shocked and angry - and she had every right to be.'

Woods went into hiding as his affairs hit the headlines, appearing for the first time at a press conference in February, where he apologised for his behaviour. He confirmed in the interview that he entered a clinic between December and February, where he underwent counselling.

'It was really tough to look at yourself in a light you never want to look at yourself,' he said of the treatment process. 'That's pretty brutal.'

Woods will now return to professional golf at the US Masters in April. Admitting he was apprehensive, he described: 'I'm a little nervous about that, to be honest with you. It would be nice to hear a couple claps here and there.'

But his return to the sporting world will not signal the end of his treatment: 'But still, I still have a lot more treatment to do, and just because I'm playing, doesn't mean (I will) stop going to treatment.'

2010'S MOST SHOCKING CELEBRITY SCANDALS