TMZ is now reporting that the lacerations on Tiger Woods face were not caused by his car accident... it was his wife.

Tiger has yet to be formally interviewed by the Florida Highway Patrol -- that should happen this afternoon. But we're told Tiger had a conversation Friday -- with a non-law enforcement type -- detailing what went down before his Escalade hit a fire hydrant.

We're told he said his wife had confronted him about reports that he was seeing another woman. The argument got heated and, according to our source, she scratched his face up. We're told it was then Woods beat a hasty retreat for his SUV -- but according to our source, Woods says his wife followed behind with a golf club. As Tiger drove away, she struck the vehicle several times with the club.

That other woman is, according to numerous sources New York "Party Girl" Rachel Uchitel. The National Enquirer ran an exclusive story about thier alleged affair and hook up during Tiger's recent trip to Melbourne. The magazine actually confronted Uchitel as she just happend to be checking into the same hotel where Woods was staying "down under". The story in the December 7th issue of the tabloid claims that Woods has had trysts with Uchitel in NY, Vegas and Australia. The Enquirer added that...

When confronted, Rachel insisted she was in Melbourne on business and denied carrying on an affair with Woods. Rachel also claimed that she’d traveled to Australia with a boyfriend. In a later conversation however, she admitted to THE ENQUIRER she had lied about going to Australia with a boyfriend.

Also in a the article is a claim by one of Rachel friends that she has seen evidence of the relationship:

"Rachel told me, ‘I’m having an affair with Tiger Woods. We’re in love!’ She even read me text messages Tiger sent her that said ‘I love you, babe. It’s always going to be just you and me. They were constantly sexting."