Tiger shows wild side at 'betrayal'

Tiger Woods today launched an outspoken attack upon the owner of the South African safari park where he proposed to girlfriend Elin Nordegren.

Woods claims he was "betrayed" by Adrian Gardiner, founder and owner of the Shamwari Game Reserve near Port Elizabeth, when news leaked out last Friday of how he had popped the question against the setting of a stunning bushveld sunset.

Woods is obsessive about keeping his private life out of the headlines, and he also keeps his emotions in check away from golf.

But in a letter to fans on his personal website the world-ranked No1 golfer reveals extraordinary anger as he writes: "He promised to protect my privacy but went back on his word, not only alerting the newspapers about my engagement to Elin Nordegren but inviting the mayor and local children to the airport when we departed.

"Even worse, he took pictures at the reserve to promote his website."

The 27-year-old American continues: "I'm disgusted about the way he handled things. I had been planning to ask Elin to marry me for months and wanted to do it in a private, unique atmosphere. He cheapened the experience."

Woods and Nordegren, a 23-year-old part-time model and au pair from Sweden, have been dating since the 2001 Open at Royal Lytham and St Annes.