Tiger Woods' Reputed Lover Rachel Uchitel: 'Tiger And I Are Not Friends'

Dec. 1, 2009— -- Tiger Woods' reputed lover, former New York night club hostess Rachel Uchitel, denied any kind of affair with the golf superstar and called the rumors "ridiculous" in an interview with the New York Post printed today.

"Not a word of it is true," Uchitel told the Post. "It's the most ridiculous story. It's like they are asking me to comment if there are aliens on Earth."

Uchitel said Woods had been to the New York City club where she worked, and she did escort Woods and his group in and out, but that was the extent of their contact.

"I've always been the director of VIP services, that's my job -- to know these people, to have a relationship with them, to hang out with them. It doesn't mean I'm having sex with them or an affair with them. ... But Tiger and I are not friends. That's a whole different ballgame. I've only met him twice," Uchitel told the Post. "I have never spoken on the phone with Tiger Woods, or texted him, ever. ... I do not have sex with celebrities, and I have not had an affair with Tiger Woods."

Woods' reputed affair with Uchitel was first reported by the National Enquirer, but the allegation spread when the report was linked to Woods' bizarre early morning car crash last week -- an incident that Woods has so far refused to speak with police about.

Woods was injured in the crash outside his Windermere, Fla., home early Friday morning, and his wife, Elin Nordegren, reportedly used a golf club to smash a window of his SUV to get him out.

On Monday, Woods said that he will not play in the golf tournament he was scheduled to host this week, citing unspecified injuries he suffered from the mysterious crash.

"I am extremely disappointed that I will not be at my tournament this week," Woods said in a statement posted on his Web site. "I am certain it will be an outstanding event, and I'm very sorry I can't be there."

Woods apparently referenced the allegations of an affair in a statement on his Web site following the accident.

The statement praised his wife for "acting courageously" to help him after his accident and denounced "unfounded and malicious rumors that are currently circulating about my family and me."

Uchitel also denied she had traveled to Melbourne, Australia, to see Woods when he was there for the Australian Masters, as reported by the Enquirer, but said she made the trip with friends on completely unrelated business.

"It's just dumb stuff. I was happy to answer any of their [the National Enquirer's] questions, but they didn't want to listen to me when I denied it. I look like a home wrecker and an a- -hole," Uchitel told the Post. "And it's horrible to Tiger's family. His wife must feel horrible. The worst part of it, it's not true."

On Sunday, Uchitel flew to Los Angeles and was met by high-profile attorney Gloria Allred at the airport.

Tiger Drops Out of Own Tournament

Woods was supposed to play in and host the 2009 Chevron World Challenge, a tournament that he has won four times, and hold a press conference on Tuesday. The press conference, which was certain to be dominated by questions about the early morning crash, has also been canceled.

"We support Tiger's decision and are confident the strong field and excellent course will provide an exciting week of competition at the Chevron World Challenge," said Greg McLaughlin, Tiger Woods Foundation president and CEO.

Woods will not participate in any other tournaments for the rest of 2009 and plans to return to action next year.

The golf star's absence at the tournament continues days of silence for Woods, who has stayed mum since plowing his SUV into a tree on his Florida property early Friday morning.

Despite inviting investigators to speak with him three times and then backing out, Woods has not made a statement to police, and his lawyer indicated to ABC News that he likely never would.

Sunday, Woods broke his silence about the SUV accident, issuing a statement calling the incident "a private matter."

The Florida Highway Patrol released a statement Monday saying that Woods has provided investigators with only his driver's license information, vehicle registration and current proof of insurance.

"The crash investigation is ongoing and charges are pending," according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Woods' lawyer, Mark NeJame, told ABC News Sunday, "We stand by his [Woods'] previously released statement, regarding his privacy," and said neither he nor Woods would be making comments to anybody, including, in Woods' case, the police.

Brennan said that regardless of what comes of the accident, it's unlikely Woods' relatively pristine public image would be badly tarnished.

"Obviously, Tiger Woods and his people are very controlled, very disciplined -- he's possibly the most disciplined athlete on the planet," Brennan said. "I don't think he has anything to worry about with the current endorsers. [But] I don't know that others will be jumping on the bandwagon this week. .... My sense is that Tiger will be just fine in the long run."