AceShowbiz - Tiger Woods' half-brother has become the first family member to speak out about the golf star's indiscretions, insisting he's sure the shamed sportsman and his estranged wife Elin Nordegren still love each other. Earl Woods, Jr., the eldest of Tiger's three siblings, admits he's had no contact with his famous brother since just before their father died in 2006 - but he felt compelled to speak out in the sportsman's defence after listening to months of poor reporting and commentary following news of Woods' cheating, which broke in November 2009.

Arizona-based Woods, Jr. phoned his favorite sports talk radio show The Herd and requested an audience with syndicated presenter Colin Cowherd - the host of the ESPN breakfast program. The brief chat aired on Tuesday, August 17.

The brother told Cowherd, "He (Tiger Woods) got himself in a world of hurt... He was having to deal with a lot of difficult things." He added, "(But) a lot of the interviews, a lot of the commentaries... have not been very positive and I think that America forgets what he has done for the game of golf... We don't do many interviews as a family but there were so many things being said about him... and I know that some of those things are not true."

Woods, Jr. admitted his brother was a "control freak" who likes "to have everything laid out in front of him and know what path he's gonna take," and revealed he was sure it was hard for the golfer "to stay focused and productive". He then got to the heart of the matter and insisted that his brother is "truly in love with Elin," adding, "I know that she has very strong feelings for him."

Woods, Jr. also suggested his late father would be "disappointed" by his famous son's actions, but added, "He would have said, 'This time, these tests are exactly what I trained you for, I prepared you for...' I think he would say, 'Get back on the path'."