Tiger caged

Normal, Weekender

He is used to striding the manicured greens and fairways of the world’s most exclusive golf courses.
But today Tiger Woods is reduced to the grey concrete and brick outbuildings of a clinic for sex addicts.
It is believed he has reluctantly entered rehab in a last-ditch attempt to save his marriage to Elin Nordegren, 30 – and his career.
The Swedish ex-model, who is mother to his two young children, ditched her wedding ring after their now infamous bust-up on Nov 25.
The blazing Thanksgiving night row culminated in Tiger storming bare-foot out of their home in Orlando, Florida, crashing his car into a tree and being taken to hospital.
Tiger is said to have checked himself into the Pine Grove Behavioural Health and Addiction Services clinic, in the remote town of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, on Dec 30.
According to an American news magazine, since then he has been on the centre’s six-week Gentle Path programme for sex addicts, said to cost $US60,000 (K170,000).
It is claimed Elin threatened to take the couple’s children – daughter Sam Alexis, 2, and six-month-old son Charlie Axel – back to Sweden unless he vowed to stop cheating and enter rehab. He agreed in exchange for Elin not divorcing him – at least not immediately.
Pine Grove is a no-frills, 24-bedroom facility regarded as one of the world’s best for tackling sexual problems.
But even at rock-bottom, Tiger is not abandoning all of his former life of privilege.
Whereas patients would normally share rooms and carry out domestic chores, the golfer has his own chalet, and has been excused from housework.
He is also receiving one-on-one treatment rather than the usual group therapy, it has been claimed.
Disgruntled fellow patients say that before he checked in he was allowed to renovate the chalet where he will spend the next month and he has a maid to clean it and do his chores.
On entering the 12-step treatment centre, Tiger would have had to sign an agreement to remain celibate.
Over the six-week course he will undergo psychiatric consultation, behavioural therapy, trauma work and “relapse prevention counseling”.
He can also choose to take part in art classes, exercise and fitness regimes, shame reduction work, a spirituality group, a grief group and yoga.
His estranged wife will also be expected to take part in the therapy, joining his sessions during a “family week”.
This includes ‘Disclosure Day’ when he will be forced to face Elin and admit, in painful detail, to each and every one of his sexual dalliances.
Former patient Benoit Denizet-Lewis said that despite Woods’s special privileges, he would not be having an easy time. “He’ll do like everyone else – get up early, eat the same food and go through the same emotions,” he said. “It’s a really intense experience.”
Woods has been in hiding since the car crash last year which led to his infidelity becoming public knowledge.
The first woman to be linked to the married golfer was Rachel Uchitel, a 34-year-old society girl from New York. Since she was named at least nine more “lovers” have either spoken out or been identified.
Many of Woods’s sponsors dropped him and last month he announced he was taking an indefinite break from golf to focus on “being a better husband, father and person”.
But US website radaronline.com claims he is already planning a comeback to the PGA golf tour this spring, after completing his treatment, which he hopes will demonstrate his intent to reform. – www.dailymail.co.uk