GOLF star Tiger Woods has pledged he will pull out all the stops to qualify for next year's Grand Slam of Golf tournament in Bermuda.

On Wednesday the world number one confirmed that he will not be attending this year's event ¿ to be held at the Mid Ocean Club next month ¿ because of fatigue and a need to spend time with his wife and baby daughter.

But before going public with his decision, the world's most famous sportsman confided in politician Michael Dunkley and revealed how disappointed he was not to make the event.

And the golfing hero vowed to make up for the disappointment by winning a major next season and book his berth in the 2008 Grand Slam, which will also be held on the island.

Mr. Dunkley, who was a spectator at the FedEx Cup Playoff Tour Championship tournament in Atlanta, Georgia, had a five-minute, one-on-one conversation with the superstar after the golfing great had completed his practice round on Wednesday.

While dozens of media photographers looked on, Woods took time out to explain to the Opposition United Bermuda Party leader why he would not be coming to the island.

Woods revealed he was "absolutely beat" after a tough year on the professional tour, and that October was his only opportunity to relax with his young family out of the public eye, before "having to turn it on again".

Mr. Dunkley said: "Tiger came right out and told me clearly that he had had just such a very busy season and was so very tired.

"He said he was really disappointed that he couldn't come to Bermuda and that he felt badly about it. His decision was nothing against Bermuda or any personalities here, but this was his only window to take some time out with his family.

"But he did also say he would do everything he could to make sure that he will be participating next year ¿ he said he was really looking forward to an opportunity to qualify so that he could come here.

"I can understand there's a great deal of disappointment ¿ I'm disappointed ¿ but you also have to understand that people like Tiger Woods are in the spotlight every waking moment of their lives . . . they have a great many demands on them all the time."

Woods later posted a statement on his own web site which read: "It's been a long year. And, given some new, personal obligations, it is very important that I take some extended time off and spend it with my family.

"As much as I would enjoy going to Bermuda, I have played a lot of golf late in the year and need to shut it down for a while. Hopefully, I'll qualify again and look forward to competing again in the future."

Mr. Dunkley, a keen golfer who was in Atlanta as a guest of the Professional Golfers' Association, also managed to speak to three of the four golfers who will be taking part in the Grand Slam ¿ Masters winner Zach Johnson, British Open winner Padraig Harrington and Jim Furyk, the world number three selected to replace Woods following his withdrawal.

And the politician insists that the event will still be a huge success, despite Woods' absence.

"While there is a great deal of disappointment we should remember that we have four quality golfers coming to Bermuda," he said.

"These guys are hitting the ball as well as anyone at the moment and they are all really excited about coming down. They're talking about bringing their families down and all the things they'll get to do while down here, such as fishing. They're talking very positively about the whole thing which is exactly what we want.

"This is going to be a win-win situation which is what Government is trying to achieve and something that we support."

The PGA Grand Slam of Golf ¿ in which the winners of the four major tournaments of the season compete for more than $1 million in prize money ¿ will be held at the Mid Ocean Club between October 15 and 17 and is expected to attract a world-wide television audience of millions. Angel Cabrera, who won this year's US Open, is the fourth competitor alongside Johnson, Harrington and Furyk.