Goldman seeks to foreclose on Tiger apology resort

* Resort was setting of Tiger Woods apology

* Goldman holds $193 mln mortgage

By Ilaina Jonas

NEW YORK, April 8 (Reuters) - A U.S. bankruptcy court judge on Thursday set a hearing to consider whether Goldman Sachs (GS.N) can foreclose on the golf resort where Tiger Woods made his public apology, according to court filings.

Goldman Sachs Mortgage Co, which holds the $193 million senior mortgage on the Sawgrass Marriott golf resort, said owner RQB Resort LP filed for bankruptcy protection on March 1, a day before a hearing was scheduled to foreclose on the property, according to court documents filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Middle District of Florida.

Bankruptcy is often used to head off foreclosure as it bars most creditors from collecting what they are owed.

Goldman said the property today was worth less than the mortgage and that it wanted to sell the resort to recoup its investment, according to court documents. The hearing is set for April 22.

When it filed, RQB Resort listed estimated assets and liabilities of up to $500 million, according to court documents.

The company has not paid Goldman since August 2009, according to the filing.

Tough economic conditions have caused a significant downturn in business spending, including destination business conferences, affecting the company's operations, according to the filing.

The Sawgrass Marriott resort is a 65 acre resort in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, and the venue for the public apology by Tiger Woods on Feb. 19.

The case is IN re: RQB Resort LP, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Middle District of Florida, No. 10-01596. (Reporting by Ilaina Jonas)