tiger woods is two things. First, he is the greatest golfer on the planet. We all know that.

Secondly, he is very private. The media knows that well. Whatever goes on in his private life stays there - like those tasteless commercials about Las Vegas but without the overt dishonesty and vaguely immoral overtones.

That's why the cover story in this month's Golf Digest is at once refreshing and absorbing. Tiger offers glimpses into his thinking. Not so much how he thinks his way around a golf course, which he now says happens almost without thinking, but his thoughts about more personal issues.

He speaks openly about his dad's death and the guilt he felt afterwards for not spending more time with Earl when he was alive. What child - son or daughter - hasn't had the same thoughts when a parent dies? He talks about his own kind of "rebirth" when his daughter was born. The son becomes a father.

In its essence, the piece reflects Tiger's growth as a human being and we are left with the picture of Tiger Woods as a man and not just a great golfer.

It's quality journalism and an exceptional read.