Tiger Woods entered the world of professional golf in 1996 and has remained in the spotlight to this day! In the past, however, he made the headlines for a scandal that involved his countless affairs. We are sure that his wife at the time, Elin Nordegren, had it rough in 2009. That was the year it blew up, which made things difficult for Tiger Woods and the rest of the family. It is a good thing that Tiger and Elin have since patched things up even though it seemed impossible back then. Let us see how exactly they have arrived at this point, ten years after the issue came out.
Tiger Woods And Elin Nordegren Finally Speak Up About His Scandal And Their Failed Marriage
When Elin First Caught The Public’s Attention
We first got to know Elin Nordegren when news broke out about her relationship with Tiger Woods. The public was enamored by this gorgeous couple, although it seems like they became even more interested when the controversy led to their divorce. As you can imagine, the media went wild during this time in their lives as members of the press tried to cover the story down to the nitty-gritty details. Despite this, Elin did her best to keep mum on the topic. Just recently, she finally decided to speak up about it.
When Elin First Caught The Public’s Attention
A Marriage Falling Apart
When the high-profile marriage of Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren was coming to an end, the legendary golfer earned quite a nasty reputation. He had already gotten in trouble with the authorities, checked into rehab, and had numerous affairs with different women. The end of his marriage, as well as his golf hiatus, probably did not help make things any better. Just about every other media outlet was covering the story, but how come Elin stayed a mystery?
A Marriage Falling Apart
Elin Nordegren Is Born
Let us take a look at her life. She was born on the first of January in 1980 in Stockholm, Sweden. A couple of minutes later, she was joined by her twin sister Josefin. Before their birth, there was also their older brother Axel. Sadly, their parents divorced when she and her sister were two years old.
Elin Nordegren Is Born
Elin’s Younger Years
Of course, her world did not stop spinning just because her parents split up. She grew into an energetic and curious child who wanted to know more about the world. She fared well in her studies and displayed athletic prowess on the soccer field. During the late ‘90s, she decided to join her father when he moved to Berlin. A few years later, she returned to Sweden. It was at this point that she was discovered by a talented photographer.
Elin’s Younger Years
A Successful Modeling Gig
Elin had the opportunity to work with Bingo Rimer, and the collaboration proved to be a successful one. She was then hired by different companies and later graced a big Swedish magazine when she did swimsuit modeling. However, it seems like she was not happy with only modeling. Her dream was to be a child psychologist, which is why she decided to stop and go into other side jobs to pay her tuition.
A Successful Modeling Gig
A New Start
Elin knew that it was going to be difficult to pay for her own college education. She had to work on the side even and hardly made any money. However, things changed for her during a shift at a store in Stockholm. While working, she met a woman looking to hire a nanny. She was actually the wife of the golfer Jesper Parnevik! Elin decided to grab this incredible opportunity, even though she had to leave her school, work, and family in Sweden.
A New Start
Life In America
Of course, she knew the implications of having to move to a new country. She was not only leaving her family behind, but she was also going to abandon her long-time boyfriend. However, Elin was thrilled to come to America. Unfortunately, the distance was too much for the relationship, and they broke up. Now that she was single, the Parneviks decided to introduce her to someone they know.
Life In America
Hesitant To Date A Star
Elin did not mind their attempts to look for a boyfriend to replace her old one. However, she did not expect that they would introduce her to Tiger Woods! She was already satisfied with the way her life was going, so she was not sure if she would like the attention that was bound to come with dating someone so high-profile. While not receptive to his advances, in the beginning, she eventually warmed up and agreed to go out with him. The two had great chemistry and got engaged two years later.
Hesitant To Date A Star
An Incredible Wedding
Although she did not initially feel like it would work out, Tiger Woods was able to change Elin’s mind. The two of them had a wedding that most people could only fantasize about. The celebration took over a week! The two of them were accompanied by their friends and family to Barbados. Tiger actually booked the whole hotel to ensure no one else would be there with them. He allegedly paid $2 million!
An Incredible Wedding
Security Was Air-Tight
As you can see, the golf went all out to ensure that the wedding was going to be a memorable one. What else did he do aside from booking out the Sandy Lane Resort? Well, he also got 500 roses flown into the island since it was not available in Barbados. He also made sure the security was as tight as possible, which why they did not release any wedding photos to the public. These unofficial photos were shot by the paparazzi, although people continue to debate if this is the real thing or not.
Security Was Air-Tight
Living The High Life
Considering the scope of the wedding, it is easy to assume they had an equally luxurious married life. In those days, Tiger was at the peak of his golf career, so there was no problem buying awesome properties. They had a gorgeous waterfront mansion, but they also had a number of other properties in other parts of the country like Wyoming, Jacksonville, and California. They had one in Sweden too!
Living The High Life
Baseless Allegations
Meanwhile, Elin had a “scandal” of her own in 2006. She got to experience the struggle and hardship she anticipated when she started going out with Tiger. One Irish magazine published nudes of a woman and said it was Elin in the photo! They did not have any proof to go with these claims, however. Elin said that there was no truth to this, but this was far from the last time she would need to deal with scandals…
Baseless Allegations
Elin Successfully Clears Her Name
Of course, Elin knew whether it was real or not. She insisted she was not the person in the photos and did certain things to prove it! She wanted to clear her name, so she contacted private investigators and attorneys, who were able to figure out where the photos came from. Apparently, the photos were of a Playboy model. They had evidence in their hands, so she and Elin sued the publication and won. The court ordered the magazine to pay her almost $200,000 and give a public apology.
Elin Successfully Clears Her Name
First Time Parents
When the rumors died down at long last, Elin and Tiger decided it was time to start a family together. The two of them welcomed a child by the name of Sam Alexis Woods in 2007. If you look at this photo, you would probably assume that Tiger is nothing more than an amazing father who will always look after his children. It is a little hard to come to terms with this and his notorious image years later…
First Time Parents
The DNA Of A Golf Legend
Two years after the birth of their daughter, the couple welcomed yet another baby by the name of Charlie Axel Woods. We all know that this is the ideal family set-up! You have a father, a mother, a daughter, and a son. In 2015, their son joined a children’s golf tournament and placed second. However, the kids seem to be more into soccer, according to Tiger Woods himself. Could it be a mere detour?
The DNA Of A Golf Legend
Early Signs of Relationship Trouble
The earliest signs of trouble in the relationship date back to Thanksgiving 2009. A couple of days earlier, Elin found an article that said her husband was cheating on her with a woman called Rachel Uchitel when he went to New York. Of course, Tiger denied the allegations, although doubt stayed in her mind. She then looked at his phone and found some pretty damning evidence that he had not been loyal.
Early Signs of Relationship Trouble
In A Rage
Elin was now sure that he was cheating on her, and it became hard to control herself. She flew into a rage and reports even said that she wanted to attack Tiger using a golf club! They went on to say that Tiger got out, found safety in his car, and then drove off. However, the golfer took a couple of sleeping pills before this happened, which is why he felt groggy and got into an accident. The golfer was discovered knocked out beside a fire hydrant! Luckily, he only sustained minor injuries.
In A Rage
Their Own Share Of Troubles
At that point in time, the couple was already facing a number of problems. Although she might have reacted a little disproportionately, we know that she was only angry about what she just found out. We are not discounting the idea that he could be worse off, but we think he should not have pulled an escape move. Why didn’t he just face the situation head-on and talked to her? This is the reason the news came from someone else, which only made things worse for him and everyone else involved.
Their Own Share Of Troubles
Money Helps In Keeping Secrets
When the news about the story broke out, Rachel Uchitel decided to come forward so she could tell them what actually happened. However, it looks like she changed her mine just a day before her media appearance. It turns out that Tiger gave her $10,000 in exchange for her silence about what happened. Sadly, he did not extend this generosity to all the other women he slept with in the past! In fact, 15 women said they all slept with the golf sensation.
Money Helps In Keeping Secrets
Proof Of Husband’s Infidelity
Below are a couple of the ladies that he has slept with in the past. At the very least, these were the women who claim that such a thing has happened. You are looking at Holly Sampson, Mindy Lawton, Cori Rist, Jamie Jungers, and Kalika Moquin. They were not the only ones, however. We bet Elin could not stand looking at more women come forward, one after another, to talk about her husband.
Proof Of Husband’s Infidelity
Another Mistress
The photo below is one of Jaimee Grubs, who said she had a relationship with Tiger. According to her, this went on for over two years! She was a cocktail waitress who once appeared on the VH1 program, Tool Academy. She also went as far as to claim that she did not know he was married, although many people feel doubtful that she is telling the truth about that.
Another Mistress
The Third Mistress
There is another mistress who went by the name Jamie. The Las Vegas lingerie model Jamie Jungers is yet another woman who stepped forward and told the press her story. She also said she used his money to pay for her liposuction! According to her, she was in a relationship with Tiger for a year and three months. Later on, she made headlines again when she was caught drunk driving in California.
The Third Mistress
Yet Another Mistress
There is a so-called “cougar” among the countless women Tiger had extramarital relationships with. Number 11 is Theresa Rogers, who said she also had an affair with him. According to her, Tiger was also the father of her kid! She reported that the two of them were together for five years. Reports say that she had been seeing Tiger even before he got married to Elin.
Yet Another Mistress
Keeping A Low Profile
Well, it does not come as a surprise to hear that Elin decided to stay on the down-low when this was coming out. Of course, it must have been mortifying and shocking for her. Considering the whole golf club incident, she must have also been angry. Everyone wanted to know what the scorned wife thought about what was happening. Was she going to give him another chance or leave him for good? People wanted to know what she was planning to do. It’s a good thing she has always been a strong woman.
Keeping A Low Profile
Someone To Turn To
Considering the fact that everything was unraveling for her, she began to feel more alone. It was a good thing that her twin sister was always there for her. She wanted to get away from her problems, so she and Josephine embarked on a holiday to the French Alps to celebrate their 30th birthday. Her husband had a tournament coming up at the time, but she decided that he could handle it even if he were not around to support him.
Someone To Turn To
Always Twin Sisters
Josefin and Elin are fond of doing things with the other at their side. The two of them are really close, though this is not all that unusual for twins. The two trade secrets as well. It is interesting to hear that both of them had been working at the same place when they were both presented with the opportunity to move to America and work for the Parneviks. The twins both left the job and left Sweden together!
Always Twin Sisters
Adjusting To Life In America
They got used to looking after the Parnevik children. Aside from that, the two of them worked to secure American citizenship on the side. For Elin, she did not have any problems assimilating to the culture in the States. Even marrying a golf legend seemed to come easy to her! However, Josefin had a hard time getting used to life there. She crossed the pond and moved to England, where she began working in the legal field. This detail is going to come in handy later.
Adjusting To Life In America
Help From A Sister
Josefin and her profession helped Elin when it comes to the divorce proceedings. She was able to help out in the professional and emotional sense of the word! Elin got the services of the legal office where her sister worked to take care of the divorce and her businesses. At the start, Josefin did not think it was wise for her sister to file for divorce since she thought the relationship with Tiger could still work. However, Elin insisted on going through with it, and Josefine eventually complied with her request.
Help From A Sister
How Much Did Elin Get?
Plenty of fans felt sad that this lovely marriage was about to end. However, there were people who were interested to hear just how much she was getting a divorce settlement. She was not getting divorced from a random guy, after all. She was filing for divorce from a cheating millionaire. Was she going to become a millionaire as well by the time it all ends?
How Much Did Elin Get?
Ending Up A Millionaire Herself
In the prenup agreement they signed, it said that she was going to get $20 million. However, we do not think that is enough after everything that she had to go through. The media said different figures when discussing how much she was getting, and the range typically started from $750,000 and maxed at $1 billion. The truth is that she received $110 million, which is about a sixth of Tiger Woods’ total net worth. It is basically about $20 million for every single year she spent in the marriage with him, so this not bad at all.
Ending Up A Millionaire Herself
Keeping The Divorce Proceeding Inaccessible To The Public
The divorce proceeding was kept inaccessible to the general public. In fact, the press had been barred from going into the court as well. Elin must have been glad since we know she prefers to keep her personal matters private. The oath of silence was for Tiger Woods as he was to one who paid to ensure it. Of course, the reason that makes sense is that both parties wanted to keep things quiet.
Keeping The Divorce Proceeding Inaccessible To The Public
Custody Of The Kids
Although it is true that the concerned parties were the only ones with access to the hearing, many people wondered about the fate of the children as well. Was Elin or Tiger going to receive full custody of the kids? Elin did not choose to deny him partial custody of the kids. Although he had not been a good husband, he was not a bad father. One can only assume that this was her reasoning behind it.
Custody Of The Kids
How Much Infidelity Costs
A lot of people felt curious about the money that had been agreed upon during the divorce. No one really knows how come Elin received $100 million, although this is several times the original amount in the prenup agreement. Perhaps Tiger was told to give Elin this amount of money? Who knows. At any rate, we are sure it was meant to be a compensation to the suffering he brought her.
How Much Infidelity Costs
Having Lingering Feelings
Even though Elin suffered quite a lot when they were still married, she had to admit that she still had feelings for Tiger. Who can blame her? He is still the father of her kids, and she stayed faithful to him no matter what happened in the past. Aside from that, she also owned up to the golf club incident that happened not that long ago. For her, the last straw had been his repeated lies.
Having Lingering Feelings
Emotional And Physical Effects
Elin suffered for months. However, things to even worse for her when she found out the extent of his infidelity during the course of their marriage. Surely, she felt stupid for not having figured it out sooner. It all started to affect her physical and emotional health. She just wanted to get out of the spotlight.
Emotional And Physical Effects
Elin Breaks Her Silence
When the golf club incident came out, the media tried its best to paint Elin in a negative light. This is the reason she decided to go in front of the camera and explain what actually happened. After they had a heated argument that night, her husband left. However, she started to worry when she heard noise from the outside. She stepped out and saw that Tiger got into an accident! Elin then grabbed a golf club to break the windshield and then help him.
Elin Breaks Her Silence
The Doubters
Elin could not believe what people were saying about the incident, which is why she wanted to clear her name. She only wanted to set things straight and then return to her life. Some of Tiger’s rabid fans went after her, however, and said her take on the story sounded unbelievable. They said there was no reason she would use golf clubs if she wanted to save him! For these fans, the media’s version sounded better.
The Doubters
Taking Control Over Her Life
Elin had to let go of the past, although the road to starting a new chapter in her life proved to be a difficult task. She experienced a reckoning when she learned about the extent of her ex-husband’s lies. Throughout the entire marriage, he lied to her. Aside from that, she also needed to take care of the kids primarily on her own. Elin was aware that time would make everything easier and less painful, which is why she started expressing her thoughts in her journal. This helped her regain control over her life.
Taking Control Over Her Life
Any Regrets?
Elin and Tiger have both experienced hardships during this difficult time, although Elin was the only one who managed to clear her name. However, how does Tiger feel about his actions in the past? It seems like he does not feel any remorse about what he did. In 2016, the golfer admitted that he regretted not sticking it out at Stanford, but that was the only thing he mentioned when asked.
Any Regrets?
They Still Talk
Despite everything they went through, Elin decided to let bygones be bygones because she wanted her kids to have a good childhood. Whenever she meets up with their father, the two of them behave in a friendly manner. Elin thinks he is a good father, but there was one condition she asked of him. He is not supposed any of his women to the kids unless he gets married!
They Still Talk
Tiger Has Found A New Love
It seems like Tiger has already moved on. He entered a relationship with Erica Herman, although he could not introduce her to the children since he agreed to the condition imposed by Elin. There are people who sympathized with Erica because they knew it was going to be a gamble. After all, it was important for the children to get along with the next person he marries. However, Elin decided to do this since she wanted the best for the kids.
Tiger Has Found A New Love
No Trouble Finding New Love
Without a doubt, Elin knew what she was doing because it only took several months for Tiger to leave his previous girlfriend, a stylist by the name of Kristin Smith. In those days, the new development was the talk of the town. The press followed the couple closely. Photos of the couple on a boat even made headlines! However, a couple of months later, Tiger was seen with Erica.
No Trouble Finding New Love
More Of The Same Classic Story
A lot of people wondered how he could have possibly traded in Kristin for Eric so fast. However, let us not forget that this is Tiger Woods we are talking about. Apparently, he and Kristin ended things because he was already two-timing her with Erica. Kristin figured out that he was seeing someone else, although he denied that there was any truth to this and even badmouthed Erica. Tiger Woods eventually had to pick one of these ladies, although he ended up ditching Kristin and moving on to Erica next.
More Of The Same Classic Story
The Need For Change
Well, well, well. Elin was no the only one who realized that a change of lifestyle was in order. After some time, the press said that Tiger Woods slept with at least a hundred women during his marriage to Elin Nordegren. He did not have anyone to turn to this time, so he decided it was high time for him to check into a rehab facility. He decided to take this huge step for the sake of the kids. He needed to heal too.
The Need For Change
Starting A New Life
Although life was rough, Elin decided she had no choice but to overcome her trauma and make things right for her kids. She got $100 million from the divorce, and she used a chunk of it to pay for a new home the family can stay in. She decided to buy an old beachfront mansion and then make it her own. She is a practical person, so she decided to give the things she did not need in the house to charities.
Starting A New Life
A New Space For A New Beginning
This new living space of hers set her back by $12 million, but she could easily afford this when you consider how much money she received from the divorce settlement. It came with six bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, and even its very own private beach. It spanned 9,000 square feet overall. Another good thing about the place was the fact that it was not far at all from Tiger’s house, so it was not hard to set up a schedule with the kids. However, Elin still felt like there was something missing. What could it be?
A New Space For A New Beginning
Rebuilding From Scratch
Elin felt like she needed to find a way to channel her energy and frustrations. This is the main reason she decided to take it upon herself to renovate the $12 million property on her own. She took it even further by tearing it down so she could start from scratch! The area was pretty nice, but she thought the house was a bit dated already. It is also impressive that she found a way to help others at the same time!
Rebuilding From Scratch
A Generous And Practical Move
She contacted a charity called ‘Habitat for Humanity’ in the hopes that they could help her get rid of some old items in the house. She had no need for the items that came with the house, but she knew there were people who did. Isn’t that generous of her? She let a group do their thing and look for anything they can auction off to raise funds for the cause. Habitat for Humanity made thousands of dollars off the things they found there! They used the money to build houses for those in need.
A Generous And Practical Move
Another Beach Mansion
There was another beach property that she ended up owning. It was a two-bedroom townhouse in Juno Beach, San Remo. In 2011, she paid $1 million for the property and then shelled out more to remodel it. After fixing it up, she ended up selling it. In October that year, she sold it for $2.2 million! That is not bad at all, especially since it was her first time to do this.
Another Beach Mansion
Elin Finds A New Love
Elin did not only get a new home… she found a new love when she moved as well. Only months after she started living in the renovated house, she met a neighbor of hers called Chris Cline. He is a coal mining industry executive with a net worth of more than $1 billion. Unfortunately, it turns out that they were not meant to be together forever either. Although the two of them had a great relationship for several months, it seems like Chris was more invested in his business than he was in his relationship with her. It’s sad, but that is how it is.
Elin Finds A New Love
A Huge Age Gap
People were quick to judge the relationship since Chris was 53 years old, which meant he had more than twenty years on Elin. In the eyes of other people, he seemed to be more of a sugar daddy instead of a partner. It is worth remembering that Elin did not need any more money because she is loaded.
A Huge Age Gap
She Was Not Heartbroken
After calling it quits with Chris Cline, Elin knew that there was no reason to let heartbreak rule her life. In 2015, she was spotted having a great deal of fun at the beach with her friends. We want you to look at this lovely lady that Tiger Woods decided to let go of. There are people who think he made the wrong call, and we have to agree with them. Things would be completely different if only he had stayed loyal…
She Was Not Heartbroken
One More Chance
What do you think about the picture below? Maybe Elin just noticed how the wind was blowing. Anyway, She and Chris were seen on a hike at St. Moritz. These lovebirds look smitten with one another in this picture, don’t they? The snowy mountains make for a pretty romantic backdrop as well. Clearly, there is no lack of fun when it comes to spending time with each other. What a great picture of them.
One More Chance
Rumors Are Flying Around
This couple did not seem to mind if the press made up certain theories and speculations about the relationship. The two of them had been living in a paradise that they created for themselves. They did not care much about what other people thought. Although they have never revealed the intimate details of the relationship, no one really expected that since Elin is such a private person. However, there was a time when the two resided in the same place in Palm Beach.
Rumors Are Flying Around
Finding Love Half A World Away
There are times when relationships require a lot of travel to make things work. In the photo below, Elin had been waiting at LAX. This was the time when people believed she was in a relationship with a man called Jamie Dingham from Sweden. We know that we do not get a say in who we fall in love with! Sometimes, you fall for your billionaire neighbor. Sometimes, you fall for a guy on a different continent.
Finding Love Half A World Away
Rumors With A Musician
As we said, there is not a lot of information out there about the relationship between Elin and Chris. Unfortunately, things ended for them. In 2016, people spotted Elin with a different famous person. She was seen with Gavin Rossdale, the frontman of Bush. He was still married to musician Gwen Stefani back then. He reportedly had an affair with the nanny. What do you think Elin was doing with a guy like him?
Rumors With A Musician
A Similar Path
Do you think it is possible that she ended up following in the footsteps of the women her ex had affairs with? Did you she not care that she was putting Gwen in the same position? What could have made her think that it would be okay if the rumors were true? Who knows. While it has yet to be confirmed, she might have done irreparable damage to their marriage.
A Similar Path
Yet Another New Love
When she first started dating Chris, Tiger was also in a relationship with someone else. Isn’t it awesome that all four of them got together for a double date? At the time, Tiger was with Lindsey Vonn. The relationship actually lasted for three years! However, he started sleeping with someone else. It goes without saying that the relationship ended after that. Do you think he will ever change his ways?
Yet Another New Love
A Different Type Of Scandal
These scandals are not all that unusual when you are rich and famous, so we think that the breakup might have been the best course of action for them. However, everyone was shocked when leaks of nude photos of Lindsey and Tiger came out in 2017! Apparently, she was victimized by celebrity scandal hackers. Tiger said he would make the perpetrator pay, although it seemed strange that his ex did not get rid of photos like that yet. What reason could she have to keep such mementos of her and her ex?
A Different Type Of Scandal
Returning To Her One Love
After everything that went down, it seems like Elin and Tiger would never get back together. However, there was something that she just could not stay away from ever since moving to the States. Do you remember how she left her studies when she decided to move away from Sweden? After the move, she did not have any time to pursue her education again with the marriage and then the scandal. In 2014, however, she was able to finish her child psychology degree and graduate from college.
Returning To Her One Love
Hard To Break Away From Scandals
Since the divorce, life did not prove to be easy for Elin Nordegren. After you get involved in scandals like that one, it is hard to disassociate with it. However, Elin had to deal with more attention in 2017. This time, it was for her speeding ticket. She had been going at 60mph on a 35mph road. The funny thing here is that her ex had been caught speeding on the very same road in the past. Elin paid $281 for the fines and took lessons about driving awareness.
Hard To Break Away From Scandals
Getting Away
By now, it is no secret that she had to deal with a long of things around that time. And yet she remains thankful for the lessons she learned along the way. She still lives in the States with loads of gratefulness. She has also come to appreciate life and love more. We are sure she will never forget the end of her marriage, but we are glad they remain friends. It is definitely going to make things easier for the children. Maybe she could use her education to use on them in the future.
Getting Away
Their Treasure
When you consider everything they have been through, it is incredible that Tiger and Elin did not let the past get in the way of their current relationship. The two of them have started anew and reconciled with one another despite past misgivings. Of course, this is primarily thanks to their son and daughter. The two of them want to do everything to ensure they grow into well-adjusted people.
Their Treasure
A Friendship Based On Love
During one interview, the golf legend was asked how his friendship with his ex works. He wanted to set things straight and clear up any misunderstanding: “It becomes two simple things, OK? We have Sam and we have Charlie. And we love them so much that we are going to do whatever it takes to make that work. That’s how it happened.” However, who knows how the relationship will change after Elin sells the beach property now that she has put it up on the market.
A Friendship Based On Love
Keep Going Under The Radar
Elin knew that the press would probably follow her, so she tried to prefer herself for that. After all, people are going to want to hear stories about you if you happen to be the ex-wife of a golf legend! The high-profile divorce only led to greater interest in her. However, she paid them no mind and went about her life. She still prefers to lie low and focus on the kids to give them the best future she possibly can.
Keep Going Under The Radar
Claiming Responsibility
As we said, Tiger Woods clearly does not regret what he did when he was still married to Elin. However, the Parneviks express regrets because they were the ones to introduce them. The Parnevik couple is famous in the golfing circles, but they still decided to stay on Elin’s side all throughout the shocking ordeal. They felt guilty since this would not have happened to Elin if they did not introduce her to Tiger Woods all those years ago.
Claiming Responsibility
“Best Friends”
It seems like people are concerned with other scandals in the meantime. Elin and Tiger have been placed on the backburner after all these years. However, there are things about their current friendship that bewilder others. During one Stephen Colbert show episode, Tiger received a question about her and the kids. He said the two of them were “best friends”. Although people cannot comprehend how this is possible, what is important is that it works for them.
“Best Friends”
The Real Tiger Woods
A lot of people are curious to find out how Tiger Woods became the person he now is. They want to know where his cunning and brilliance came from. There are some people who think that it is because of his natural talent at the sport, while others think that he takes after his father.
His Real Name
Like Father, Like Son
Before he reached the age of two, he was introduced to the sport by his father. Earl Woods was an amateur golfer, but he immediately noticed that his son had a lot of potential. That was how Tiger ended up becoming a child prodigy. Little did they know that it would shape the course of his life.
Like Father Like Son
Bob Hope
Tiger Woods first made an appearance on television all the way back in 1978. At the time, he was no more than 2 years old! Whoa. That is definitely an incredible accomplishment for someone so young. At the time, he putted against Bob Hope on The Mike Douglas Show.
Bob Hope
Star In The Making
The following year, the three-year-old Tiger pulled off a 48 over nine holes at the Cypress Navy course. When he was five, he appeared in Golf Digest as well as “That’s Incredible” on ABC. It sure looked like bright things were in store for him! Despite everything, no one understood that he was going to become such a big golf star back then.
Star In The Making
Not Even 7
He was not even seven years old when Tiger Woods succeeded in a certain feat that thrilled the crowds. He ended up in first place when he joined the Under Age 10 section of a competition called “Drive, Pitch, and Putt” at the Cypress Navy course.
Not Even 7
Not Again
His father said that he was first defeated by Tiger when the younger man was only 11 years old. He gave it his best shot, but the boy managed to beat him still. After that, Earl would lose every time the two of them started a game. At that point, Woods already had six Junior World Championship titles to his name, which includes consecutive wins from 1988 to 1991. When he was 15 years old, he was the youngest champion of the U.S. Junior Amateur competition.
Not Again
Growing Fast
As a teen, Tiger Woods had been growing so quickly that he needed to change his club set size several times. In fact, he needed to do this twice between the ages of sixteen and seventeen! Whoa.
Growing Fast
Stanford
Tiger Woods snagged a golf scholarship to the prestigious Stanford University in 1994. He picked economics for his major and ended up being called “Urkel”, a moniker his teammate Notah Begay III gave him. He ended up dropping out after spending two years at the academic institution and turned pro instead. We now know that he has regrets about doing this, although he managed to accomplish a number of incredible things anyway.
Stanford
Video Games
How does someone like Tiger Woods have such amazing hand and finger control? You would not believe what helped him. Apparently, the credit goes to video games! Yes, he says that he managed to hone his hand and finger control because he played a lot of video games when he was a kid. According to him, these games also helped him overcome a fear of failure.
Video Games
Woods And EA Games
Now that we know that he likes to play videogames, let us talk about his very own game. Did you know that Tiger Woods and EA Sports have collaborated together to make a game? EA made a video game tribute to the golf star in 1998. It is called “Tiger Woods PGA Tour” if you want to check it out.
Woods And EA Games
I Apologize
In 1996, the college golf star was going to be awarded the top college golfer award at Stanford. However, he ended up skipping the awarding event! We do not know why he did not go, although he apparently wrote 200 individual letters to all the guests as an apology.
I Apologize
No, Thank You
When he went to Thailand for a tournament in 2000, he received an offer of Thai citizenship. He ended up turning down the offer. His mom, Kultida “Tida” Woods, hails from the Asian country. She and Earl Woods first met when he was sent on tour in 1968. Nope, they did not give it to him for no good reason! As you can see, they took his heritage into consideration when they did this.
No Thank You
The Youngest
By 2006, Tiger Woods was the youngest golfer to have won 50 times at the age of 30 years old. We doubt that lots of people can say they did the same thing. For someone so young, this is an incredible feat!
The Youngest
Losing His Father
April 2006 was not such a great time for Tiger Woods. He was clearly distracted and why wouldn’t he be? After all, his father had cancer, and his condition was getting worse with every passing day. He then took a 3-month hiatus from work.
Losing His Father
Nike
Tiger Woods enjoyed a great career all the way from the junior division to the amateur division. He turned pro when he was 20 years old in 1996. Four years later, he snagged a five-year $105 million deal with Nike! It was the biggest endorsing contract of any athlete at the time.
Nike
His Own Book
Did you think that his hand is only good for swinging his golf club? You are wrong! In fact, Tiger Woods is a published author. He released the book “How I Play Golf” in 2001. It has sold over 1.5 million copies!
His Own Book
It’s Love
It was in November 2003 that he and Elin Nordegren got engaged. The two of them first got to know each other at the Open Championship in 2001. As we know already, they were introduced by Jesper Parnevik and his wife. Elin was working as their au pair back then. In October the following year, they got married. They have two kids between them, Sam and Charlie.
It’s Love
A Break
Tiger Woods opted to go on a break from pro golf from December 2009 to April 2010. He said that he wanted time to work on the marriage since they had a lot of problems. In the end, they got a divorce. Of course, this was the direct result of his extramarital relationships with numerous women. Aside from that, he also sustained numerous injuries and needed to get treated for those conditions. Unfortunately, it caused his rank to fall down like never before.
A Break
Almost Disqualified
In April 2013, his fans went to defend him when he was taking part in the Masters Tournament. The competition officials wanted to give him a disqualification for an illegal drop shot. After some time, they gave him a 2-stroke penalty instead.
Almost Disqualified
Back Surgery
In 2014 and 2015, Tiger Woods underwent back surgery. Unfortunately, he still could not get his dominant form back. During the latter year, his rank dropped to #104, which was the first time he did not make it to the first hundred since 1996. In 2016, he dropped out of the top 500 altogether! In 2017, the Official World Golf said he was rank number 1,005. Whoa. It was sad to hear his gradual decline, but this does not diminish the fact that he held the top spot for 683 weeks!
Back Surgery
Eye Surgery
Did you know that he also got another kind of surgery? Aside from the back surgery, he also got laser eye surgery in 1999. It was successful, which is why he does not wear glasses now.
Eye Surgery
That Moolah
If the Golf Digest got it right, then Tiger Woods made an incredible $769,440,709 from 1996 until 2007. Whoa. That is an incredible amount of money. The magazine also claimed that he would likely make it past the billion mark by 2010. However, Forbes confirmed that he did indeed make one billion dollars in 2009! This was largely thanks to the FedEx Cup $10 million prize.
That Moolah
An Expensive Athlete
In the same year, he had a net worth of $600 million. This meant that he was the second richest American person of color! Only Oprah Winfrey bested him. In 2015, he was the 9th best-paid athlete.
An Expensive Athlete
Some Concern
Early in his career, golf experts were worried about how his brilliance would affect the competitiveness and appeal of the sport. Bill Lyon is a sportswriter for Knight Ridder, and he published a column under the title “Isn’t Tiger Woods actually bad for golf?” In the end, he said the answer is no. Some people thought he would kill the spirit of competition since people would only be fighting for second place.
Some Concern
Yardage
During the PGA Tour rotation, they started adding yardage to the tees. Why is that? Apparently, they hoped to reduce the advantage long hitters like Tiger Woods had! This eventually came to be known as the “Tiger-Proofing” technique. According to Woods, he did not mind the change since it did not impact his chances of winning anyway.
Yardage
Buddhist
Did you know that Tiger Woods grew up Buddhist? Even when he was older, he continued to practice Buddhism. How does he feel about the religion? He said he “believes in Buddhism… Not every aspect, but most of it.” Woods says that the reason behind his infidelity and deviations had been his loss of faith. He said, “Buddhism teaches me to stop following every impulse and to learn restraint. Obviously, I lost track of what I was taught.”
Buddhist
Lucky Red
Some people notice that he never fails to don the color red when it is Sunday. He informed GOLF that this was a tradition that he started doing when he was a junior student at Stanford University, whose school color it was. “I just stuck with it out of superstition, and it worked,” he explained. “I’ve had a few wins wearing red, and it’s not going to change.”
Lucky Red
Privacy
Isn’t it ironic that he bought a yacht and ended up naming it “Privacy”? Tiger Woods might be able to hide out in the ocean with the 150-foot vessel, although it is not exactly a low-key move.
Privacy
His Stutter
When he was on 60 Minutes, he revealed that he had a stutter when he was a kid. Luckily, school helped as did speaking to his dog. In 2006, he opened the Tiger Woods Learning Center. His old stutter only became common knowledge when he took the time to write a note to a suicidal boy. He said, “I know what it’s like to be different and to sometimes not fit in. I also stuttered as a child and I would talk to my dog and he would sit there and listen until he fell asleep. I also took a class for two years to help me, and I finally learned to stop.”
Tiger Woods
A Mess
In November 2009, there was a story released by the National Enquirer. It claimed that he was having an affair with a New York City nightclub manager with the name Rachel Uchitel. She denied this allegation. It was two years later that Woods collided with a tree, a fire hydrant, and hedges close to his home. He needed to get minor facial lacerations treated and received a careless driving ticket. This attracted lots of attention, although Woods claimed sole responsibility and said it was a “private matter”. He also thanks his wife for her help. Several days later, he said he would not join tournaments until his injuries heal.
A Mess
Voicemails
In December 2009, US Weekly came out with a report about another mistress of his as well as a voicemail message Tiger Woods allegedly left. He then admitted to his “transgressions”. He also apologized to “all of those who have supported [him] over the years”. After that, more women stepped up and talked about their affairs with him! The golf player came out with a statement that admitted to his infidelity and announced that he was going on “an indefinite break from professional golf.”
Voicemails
Gillette
Tiger Woods later joined a team that consists of fellow sporting legends like Roger Federer and Thierry Henry in February 2007. What was it about? Apparently, it was a team of ambassadors for the “Gillette Championships” campaign.
Gillette
Losses
After the controversy about his affairs came out, a number of companies decided on what to do about their partnerships with Tiger Woods. Some of the companies that dropped him altogether were General Motors, Gatorade, AT&T, and Accenture. Gillette, meanwhile, decided to suspend their ads that featured him. TAG Heuer stopped any advertising with him. Golf Digest suspended his monthly column. The companies that stuck by him were Electronic Arts and Nike. One study reported that he lost anywhere from $5 billion to $12 billion because of the scandal.
Losses
Therapy
In February 2010, he announced that he had gone to a 45-day therapy program. He also made another apology about his behavior. “I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame, I didn’t have to go far to find them. I was wrong. I was foolish.” A couple of weeks after this, he announced that he would make a comeback in the sport.
Therapy
Recent Woes
In 2017, Tiger Woods got arrested because he was driving under the influence. The golfer fell asleep in the car when he stopped at a traffic lane and kept the engine running. He later admitted that he was on prescription drugs but took alcohol not long after anyway. That was why he had to enter a program and skip arraignment before he pled guilty to reckless driving. He got a year of probation, a fine of $250, and 50 hours of community service as a punishment. He was also given regular drug tests. Apparently, he could be looking into 90 days of jail time and another $500 in fines if he did not pass.
Recent Woes
His Statement
On Memorial Day weekend, he decided to talk about the arrest. He released a statement that read, “I’m currently receiving professional help to manage my medications and the ways that I deal with back pain and a sleep disorder. I want to thank everyone for the amazing outpouring of support and understanding especially the fans and players on tour.”
His Statement
Comeback
During the earlier parts of 2018, he announced that he was making his comeback. It looked like he truly meant this. After the latest back surgery he got, his kids urged him to golf again. He has returned to the green and shown us glints of his old self. When the 2018 Masters was over, he said, “The crowds have been incredible. It’s been awesome this entire comeback. I got a standing ovation on the range. Coming up to the first tee, the people come out of the clubhouse and the putting green. They’re really into it.”
Comeback
Best Friends
Some time after the divorce was finalized, Tiger Woods has talked about his former wife and current friend. “It’s not how I would change 2009 and how it all came about. It would be having a more open, honest relationship with my ex-wife,” he told Us magazine. “Having the relationship that I have now with her is fantastic. She’s one of my best friends. We’re able to pick up the phone, and we talk to each other all the time. We both know that the most important things in our lives are our kids. I wish I would have known that back then.” That was not the only things he had to say, however.
Best Friends
Honesty Is The Best Policy
According to Tiger Wood, the divorce did not come about just because of his numerous affairs. “When it comes down to it, right down to it, it’s just having a more open, honest relationship with my ex-wife when we were married,” he said. “Our frustrations would have come out if we had talked about it and been open and honest with each other. Which we are now, and it’s absolutely fantastic.” Of course, let us not forget that the kids are part of the equation here…
Honesty Is The Best Policy
The Kids
Tiger has said that he has talked to the children about making mistakes in the past. “For instance, I’ve told her this, I’ve taken the initiative with the kids, and told them up front, ‘Guys, the reason why we’re not in the same house, why we don’t live under the same roof, Mommy and Daddy, is because Daddy made some mistakes,'” he admitted. “I just want them to understand before they get to the Internet age and they log on to something or have their friends tell them something. I want it to come from me so that when they come of age, I’ll just tell them the real story. But meanwhile, it’s just, ‘Hey, Daddy made some mistakes. But it’s okay. We’re all human. We all make mistakes. But look what happened at the end of it. Look at how great you are. You have two loving parents that love you no matter what.'”
The Kids
The Future
“It was too tough, too tough,” he said when he was asked about the marriage and the divorce. Things have changed, however. “We try and help each other out on all occasions. And we work through it with the kids, the parenting program. She is one of my best friends now, and it’s all because of my kids. We’ve worked so hard, and I’ve shown her how much I love them. We’ve worked so hard at co-parenting, to make sure that their lives are fantastic.”
The Future
Helping Out
Although there are many things we can criticize Tiger Woods for, let us not forget that he is not a bad guy all-around. In fact, there are plenty of good things he has accomplished. For one thing, he helped out during the earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010. In fact, he donated an impressive $3 million.
Helping Out
Winning Everywhere
You only have to look at Tiger Woods’ track record to figure out what a legend he is in the sport. He has 137 tour titles and 14 majors to his name. This is not something ordinary at any rate.
Winning Everywhere
What A Player
In 2009, he had an awesome time when it comes to his career. Associated Press dubbed Tiger Woods the “Athlete of the Decade”. The same publication also named him “Male Athlete of the Year” four times in the past. Sports Illustrated called him the “Sportsman of the Year” a number of times as well.
What A Player
Junk Food
In some ways, he is just like us. If you do not believe us when we say this, let us take a look at the things he likes to eat. Apparently, the golf god tries to restrict his food intake to keep himself in shape. However, he is fond of McDonald’s cheeseburgers as well as Taco Bell!
Junk Food
Mom’s Love
This is something not a lot of people know about. Back when he was just in the middle of launching his career, his mom gave him something he has since considered his treasure. She made him a club head cover and embedded the phrase “Love from Mom” in Thai!
Moms Love
His Favorite Movie
Can you wager a guess as to what his favorite movie would be? If you don’t get it, you will soon say that it makes perfect sense. It is none other than a golf movie, of course! Haven’t figured it out yet? We are talking about Caddyshack.
His Favorite Movie
His Favorite Music
Well, let us now see what his taste in music is like. Apparently, Tiger Woods is a fan of music made by U2, Boys II Men, and Janet Jackson! This is definitely interesting to hear!
His Favorite Music
Not Playing Golf
What does the legendary Tiger Woods consider to be the perfect day? If you ask him this question, he is going to say that it is one full of activities like skiing, golfing, surfing, and spearfishing. You got that right – he wants to do all of these sports in a single day!
Not Playing Golf