Tiger Woods: Being a single dad is 'tough'

Tiger Woods says he's getting his life back on course -- and that includes being present for his two children, daughter Sam, 3, and son Charlie, 2.

"It's work, there's no doubt," the golfer, 35, speaking on ABC's "Good Morning America" Thursday, said about single fatherhood. "It's tough. But it's enjoyable. That's the work I love."

Expanding upon that point, Woods said of his kids, "I just love being with them and seeing what they're doing, what they're capable of doing -- the joys, just the shifts of interest. ... It's just fun. We have a great time together."

That time, he said, is spent watching Sam dance, create things, color and re-arrange furniture.

As for Charlie, whom Woods called "my little brute," the boy only wants to play sports. "Give him a stick and a ball," says his father, "and he's happy."

The "GMA" interview -- along with a Wednesday night appearance on NBC's "Late Night" with Jimmy Fallon -- marks Woods's return to the talk arena for the first time since his fall from grace that began with a mysterious November 2009 car accident and resulted in the revelation of his mistress-rich private life and, ultimately, his divorce from wife Elin Nordegren.

"Family's first. That's the way it was when I was growing up. My mom and dad were always there ... and that's what I have with my kids now," Woods told

GMA's Robin Roberts, who noted when introducing the interview with the golfer, "The arrogance is no longer there. He's been humbled by the past year."

Butt of jokes

On "Late Night," host Fallon said to Woods, "It's been a year and a half since you've been on the show. What you been up to?"

There came a laugh from the audience, before Woods nonchalantly responded, "Nothin', nothin'."

Acknowledging that his very public private ordeal must have been "painful and awful" for Woods, Fallon also told the golfer, "From a comedian's standpoint, and my monologue writers', thank you."

Woods didn't say much to that, but did converse with Fallon on the glories of his new mega-house ("You have your own country. Congratulations," said Fallon. "You have a golf nerd's Barbie dream house"), and later proved a good sport when show guest Amy Poehler and Fallon jokingly attempted to distract him as he demonstrated his new video game, "Tiger Woods's PGA Tour 12: The Masters."