MIAMI - Rehabilitation and religion were the two themes Tiger Woods was most open about in his first television interviews since revelations about his marriage infidelities emerged last November.

MIAMI - Rehabilitation and religion were the two themes Tiger Woods was most open about in his first television interviews since revelations about his marriage infidelities emerged last November.

Woods has long been connected to Buddhism through his Thai mother and he said his detachment from the religion had been behind his fall from grace.

"Going against your core values, losing sight of it," he said when asked how he lost control of his life. "I quit meditating, I quit being a Buddhist, and my life changed upside down.

"I felt entitled, which I had never felt before. Consequently, I hurt so many people by my reckless attitude and behaviour.

"I quit doing all the things that my mom and dad had taught me. I felt entitled, and that is not how I was raised."

Woods wore a thin Buddhist bracelet, which he showed to Golf Channel viewers, and said he would be wearing it when he returned to golf at the US Masters on April 8.

"It's Buddhist, it's for protection and strength and I certainly need that," he said, adding that he began wearing the bracelet before he went into rehabilitation and that he intends to wear it forever. - Reuters