The Real Story Behind Tiger Woods And Elin Nordegren’s Relationship

Tiger Woods and his ex-wife Elin Nordegren are no strangers to making headlines. While many of Woods’ had to do with his golfing career, many dug deeper into his personal life. This is the story of Tiger and Elin’s tumultuous relationship.

Their Original Scandal

In 2009, a huge bombshell came to light, with headlines claiming that Tiger Woods had been caught having an affair. Nearly 10 years after these headlines, both have moved on. But let’s start at the beginning…

Introducing Elin

Elin’s name became well known when she started dating the famed golfer. The pair were as happy as can be for a while. Before their highly publicized personal issues came to light, the couple actually seemed to enjoy a relatively low-profile relationship for a good while.

Their Marriage Comes To An End

Tiger could not seem to stay out of the headlines for a while. Between his infidelity and his many bursts of anger to his time spent at rehab, things weren’t going well for him. But what about Elin? This is how she handled it all…

Her Roots

Way before becoming Mrs. Tiger Woods, Elin Nordegren was born in Stockholm, Sweden in 1980. She has one older brother named Axel, and a twin sister named Josefina. Their parents divorced when Elin was just two years old, and the family was divided into two.

Her Childhood

Even with her parents divorce, Elin had a normal and happy childhood. She studied hard and earned high grades in school and was on the school soccer team. She later moved to Berlin to spend time with her father, but eventually returned to Sweden, where she was discovered by a prominent photographer.

Becoming A Model

The photographer in question was Bingo Rimer, who would be crucial for Elin’s modeling career. After he discovered her, he helped her find modeling jobs for various companies. However, Elin did not feel fulfilled by this career path, and chose to pursue studying child psychology.

She Wanted A Change

Elin went back to school, but she quickly discovered how challenging it would actually be. She had to balance her studies with a part-time job, but despite working hard, she could not seem to make ends meet. A chance encounter with golfer Jesper Parnevik’s wife would change her life forever, since she offered Elin a job in the United States as a nanny.

The American Dream

Elin chose to pursue this opportunity and left her hoe country of Sweden in favor of the United States. She left her studies, a job, and a boyfriend behind, and Elin came to the US ready for a new start. Her newly single status would not last too long, as she would soon meet the world’s most popular golf star.

The Beginning Of A Relationship

Elin was open to the idea of meeting a new man, but she was initially hesitant about beginning a relationship with such a prominent athlete. At first, she resisted Tiger’s advances, but soon after she knew she was drawn to him. They immediately got along and were together for two years before getting engaged.

An Extravagant Wedding

Tiger and Elin’s wedding was an extravagant affair. The event spanned over a whole week in the Caribbean island of Barbados. The entire Sandy Land Resort hotel was booked by Tiger in order to accommodate their family and friends. This cost him a cool $2 million.

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Top Security For The Event

In honor of the occasion, Tiger also shipped 500 roses to the island, since these are not native to Barbados. Additionally, the pair made sure that they booked the top security measures for their highly private event, since they did not was paparazzi crashing their wedding.

A Luxurious Lifestyle

Not long after their wedding, Tiger and Elin enjoyed the peak of Tiger’s career by settling down and purchasing several houses. They bought a waterfront mansion, a house in Elin’s home country of Sweden, and also homes in California and Wyoming.

A Scandal Breaks Out

Elin’s initial fear of being in the public eye wasn’t completely irrational, as she’d soon discover. In 2006, an Irish magazine caused a scandal when they published compromising photos that they alleged were of Elin. She immediately denied these accusations, but the scandal just wouldn’t disappear.

Clearing Her Name

Elin refused to give in and fought to clear her name. She hired private investigators and attorneys in order to help her. They eventually traced the photos back to a Playboy model, and Elin was finally in the clear. Courts forced the magazine to apologize publicly in addition to paying her $200,000.

Expanding Their Family

After the scandal died down, the couple were finally able to focus on their personal lives again. In 2007, they started a family together when they welcomed their daughter Sam Alexis Woods. The new parents felt as though they were in a bubble of happiness that could not be burst. Sadly, this would prove to be untrue.

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The Kids

Tiger and Elin welcomed parenthood, and felt that they wanted to expand their family even further. Two years after the birth of their daughter, they welcomed a son named Charlie Axel Woods. Now grown kids, Sam and Charlie have followed in their famous dad’s footsteps and have pursued playing golf.

The Trouble Begins

Everything seemed to be going so well for Tiger and Elin, but comes Thanksgiving Day 2009, everything would change forever. Elin found an articles that linked Tiger to a woman named Rachel Uchitel. She decided to confront him, but Tiger denied that there was any truth to this. However, Elin remained suspicious. She would find damning evidence on his cell phone shortly after.

Things Escalated Quickly

Once the truth about Tiger’s infidelity came out, Elin grew more and more upset. Some reports claimed that Elin allegedly charged at her husband with a gold club. Then Tiger fled to his car and started to drive away, but because he had taken sleeping pills, he crashed the car shortly after. He was lucky not to have been injured badly.

He Took A Break

After this incident, Tiger felt that he needed to take time to focus on himself. He announced on his website that he was taking an “indefinite break from professional golf.” At the time, he was the #1 draw, leaving TV and his sponsors without their #1 driver of ratings.

Things Took A Toll

Things continued to head downhill for the couple. Elin started to wonder if she had overreacted to the situation, but Tiger would continue to prove her wrong. Things continued to escalate and they tried desperately to keep it out of the spotlight. But sadly, the situation was far from over for these two.

Keeping Silent At A Cost

Rachel Uchitel, the woman linked to Tiger at the time, decided to speak up and share her side of the story with the media. However, her scheduled appearance was abruptly cancelled. It was later revealed that Tiger paid her $10,000 in order to stay silent, but unfortunately for him, it was a bit too late for that.

Tiger’s Many Mistresses

After the initial news came out about Tiger’s infidelity, many more women began to come forward to share the news that they had also had an affair with him. They came into the spotlight to share what had happened. The women who came out included Holly Sampson, Cori Rist, Jamie Jungers, Mindy Lawton, and Kalika Moquin.

Jaimee Speaks Out

One of Tiger’s mistresses, Jamiee Grubbs, decided she wanted to share her story with the world. At the time of the affair, she was working as a cocktail waitress and also appeared on reality TV show Tool Academy. She was involved with Tiger for two years, and she claimed she did not know he was married.

Another Mistress Comes Forward

Another mistress named Jamie Jungers was a lingerie model who was living in Las Vegas when she was involved in her affair with Tiger. She claimed that he helped pay for her liposuction. She has states that she and Tiger were engaged in the affair for a year and a half.

More Stories Come Out

Sadly, these were not the only mistresses who came out to share their stories. Theresa Rogers also admitted to having an affair with Tiger. She was the 11th of the mistresses to speak up. She nicknamed herself “the cougar” and has said that she and Woods were involved for more than five years.

Staying Out Of Sight

Elin decided that throughout this painful ordeal she would try as much as possible to keep a low profile. Staying out of the public eye was one of the toughest things she has had to do, but she kept her head up and tried to remain strong throughout.

Her Sister Stuck With Her

Elin had a strong support system throughout the whole ordeal. Her twin sister Josefina came through and stuck by Elin’s side the entire time. The two even travelled to the French Alps to celebrate Elin’s 30th birthday.

The Twin Bond

Elin and Josefina were always close with one another, and so it was natural that she would stand by Elin throughout this messy situation. Elin and Josefina actually moved to the U.S. together, and were roommates up until Elin met Tiger.

Life In Another Country

Even though Elin and Josefina moved to the U.S. together, Josefina decided it wasn’t the right place for her and decided to move to England instead. She began working at a legal office in London, which would later prove to be quite important in helping Elin after the affairs were discovered.

Support From Her Sister

As soon as Elin began to deal with the process of the divorce, her twin was there to help, both emotionally and legally. Josefina’s office provided Elin with a legal team. Josefina is working at that office to this day.

What Did She Get Out Of It?

Typically, when people think about celebrity divorces, they tend to wonder about how much the settlement came out to be. Now, it’s important to note that divorce involved real people and feelings. However, many were left wondering just how much Elin was left with after all of the suffering.

The Final Amount

The prenup agreement that Tiger and Elin had agreed upon upon their wedding was $20 million if a divorce would happen. However, as the situation was worsened by Tiger’s many affairs, many wondered if she was eligible to receive more? Reports claimed that the final amount ranged from anywhere from $750,000 to even $1 billion!

Out Of Public Earshot

As was the case throughout the entire ordeal, the former couple wanted to keep everything as quiet as possible about their divorce, so details are not publicly known. Tiger did everything he could to keep it all private, and the press were banned from the court.

So Who Got The Kids?

As the divorce was in its final stages, people began to wonder what would happen with the couple’s children. Elin decided not to deny Tiger partial custody in the end. In spite of it all, she felt that she could not ignore the fact that he is her children’s father and wanted him to be a part of their lives.

How Much His Affair Cost Him

After the everything was said and done and the divorce was finalized, Elin’s settlement reportedly came out to about $100 million. This is a staggering $80 million more than initially agreed upon in the original prenuptial. It is widely assumed that this was meant to compensate Elin for all that Tiger had put her through.

Are There Any Lingering Feelings?

After everything: the affairs, the humiliations, dramas, the divorce, at the end of it all, Elin is just human. Despite it all, she admitted that she couldn’t help but have residual feelings left for Tiger, especially because he is the father of her children. Despite his many transgressions, she was faithful to him the entire time.

The Effect On Elin

Throughout the publicity of the affairs and the divorce, Elin’s mental health took a serious toll. Everything she went through would be painful for anyone going through such a thing, but on top of it all, she had to deal with the media reporting on everything. She was completely embarrassed by the whole ordeal.

She Speaks Out

Eventually, Elin decided that she wanted to clarify just what had happened with the golf club incident. Elin claimed that after Tiger stormed out of their home during their argument, she heard a strange and loud noise, so she ran out to see what had happened. She claims that she used the golf club to break into the crashed car and help Tiger out to safety.

People Doubted Her

After Elin spoke about the incident, many still questioned the validity of the explanation and found it difficult to believe. People wondered whether she had made up parts of the story, saying the media’s version actually made more sense than Elin’s claims.

Her Path To Healing

After everything was finalized, it was time for Elin to pick up the pieces and move on with her life. Even though the final battles was done, she still found it difficult, especially as she reflected on everything. She could not erase the fact that her husband had cheated on her and she was now tasked with single parenthood. She began journaling to help manage her stress.

Did He Have Any Regrets?

Everybody seems to agree that Tiger put Elin through an extremely painful and unfair ordeal. However, many wondered if he regretted it all. The answer to this question became clear in a 2016 interview. Tiger was asked if he regrets anything in life, two which he replied that his only regret was not completing his degree while at Stanford University.

Still On Good Terms

Despite everything that Tiger had put Elin through, she still stays on speaking terms with her ex-husband. She did this so her kids could still have a good relationship with him. Elin still believes Tiger is a good father, but draws the line when it comes to his girlfriends. They are not allowed to meet their kids unless they plan to get married.

Moving On

Tiger grappled with his changed public image after the whole mess, but this didn’t stop him from meeting a new woman in his life. He moved on, and is currently dating Erica Herman. As per his agreement with Elin, Tiger was not supposed to introduce his children to her unless they planned to marry.

Another New Lover

Before Tiger began dating Erica, he was seen with a woman named Kristen Smith. He met her just before meeting Erica. However, it seemed like their relationship was doomed from the start, and they would be featured in headlines soon enough.

Up To His Old Habits

After his breakup with Kristin, many started to wonder how he had moved on so quickly. The timing seemed off. However, it came out that Tiger was up to his old antics and apparently began dating Erica while still dating Kristin. In the end, he chose to continue dating Erica.

Making Some Changes

Tiger fell back into his old habits, but he decided he wanted to change. He decided to take some steps to avoid the familiar patterns, and checked himself into rehab to get help and try to change for good. While he was still married the Elin, it was reported that he was with over 100 other women.

His New Leading Lady

Tiger met Erica Herman while she was running one of his Florida restaurants. They made their first public appearance together while at the 2017 Presidents Cup. Since then, they have made many appearances together and their relationship seems to be going strong.

She Helped Tiger

Many people have given Erica the credit for changing Tiger’s life around. After meeting Erica, Tiger looks to have gotten back on track. He has since won several championships once again and has avoided negative headlines ever since they have been dating.

Tiger’s Kids And Erica

As Tiger and Erica have grown closer, Erica has cultivated a strong positive relationship with his children, Charlie Axel and Sam Alexis. Despite the initial rule that Tiger’s girlfriends can’t meet his kids, Erica has been in his life long enough to be permitted to meet them.

Elin Moves On

After the divorce, Elin also began to move on with her life. This started out with her purchasing a new house for her and the children. She decided to buy an old home and to renovate it from the ground up into her custom dream house.

Elin’s New Home

Elin’s new house cost about $12 million total. It boats 6 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms, taking up a total of 9000 square feet, with private access to the beach as well. The house is close enough to Tiger’s home so that his kids are not too far away from him.

Starting A New Project

Elin decided to fully immerse herself in the home renovation project as a distraction from everything that she just went through. She was helping herself get through this tough emotional time, but she decided also to help others by giving back…

Giving Back To The Community

Before the old house was demolished, Elin gathered up everything that could be saved and donated it to Habitat for Humanity. All of the usable items were auctioned off, and thousands of dollars were collected and donated to the organization.

Her Second Home

Even though Elin remodeled her home to fit her exact needs, she actually owned a second beachfront property. She was also the owner of a 2-bedroom town house in Juno Beach, Florida. The house was worth an estimated $1 million initially. She later put it up for sale in 2011, and collected about $2.2 million for it.

Tiger’s New House

In 2011, Tiger decided he would purchase a new house as well. Planning and designing the project himself, Tiger made sure to include a practice facility on the premises. The house, located in Jupiter Island, Florida, was managed by Tiger Woods Design.

Where He Practices

On the practice facility, Tiger shared: “Working with my team, I designed the short-game facility and oversaw its construction. It features four greens, six bunkers with different depths and kinds of sand, a video center and a putting studio. If no wind is blowing, the longest club I can hit is a 7-iron. It’s also set up so I can hit shots out of my second-story studio.”

The Facility

The practice golf facility has four different greens, each contoured in a specific way and made with turfgrass management systems. This is in order to replicate all of the different playing conditions he could possibly encounter. Tiger certainly takes his training very seriously.

An Expensive Property

Tiger’s new home project landed him with a $50 million mortgage. This makes the house one of the most expensive in the barrier island area of Jupiter, Florida. He then invested an additional $15 million in the project.

A Huge Pool

While he included a practice facility in his home, Tiger also added in some features that are just for fun. This includes a massive pool, which he designed himself and measures out to around 100 feet in length.

A Sinking Realization

Tiger perfect dream house was faced with some serious issues come 2013. Several news outlets revealed that Jupiter Island has begun to sink due to foundation issues which are commonplace in Florida. Tiger has stated that he is aware of the problem and is taking care of it.

Their Island

When Tiger and Elin first married, they actually bought an island in Sweden together, named Stora Rulligen. However, the couple never had a chance to live or even spend time there, due to their marital problems. So what happened to their island?

Under New Ownership

During the divorce process, the former couple sold the island to a new owner, who is a Swedish millionaire. He would later put the island up for sale in 2015. The price was listed through Valdi Private Islands at $7.1 million.

What They Gave Up

This amazing island included several acres of untouched wooded areas that follow along a rocky shore. It also includes a private harbor complete with a docking station and landing strip. Also included on the island are a hunting lodge and six golf tees.

First Romance Since The Divorce

Once Elin finished her home remodeling project, she felt ready to move on to a new relationship. She met coal tycoon Chris Cline, who happened to be her neighbor, and the two began to date. It was reported shortly after that Cline seemed to be too busy for a new relationship.

A Difference In Age

Despite the fact that moving on and starting a new relationship was a step in the right direction for Elin, many questioned whether she had chosen the right partner. When they first began dating, Cline was 53, two whole decades older than Elin.

Elin Moves On Yet Again

Elin was now facing her second breakup, but it looked as though she was handling this one much more easily. She decided to take quality time for herself, enjoying time with her friends and spending time enjoying herself at the beach.

Another Chance

Shortly after their initial breakup, it seemed like Elin and Chris couldn’t stay away from each other. They were spotted together getting cozy while on vacation at luxury resort St. Moritz in Switzerland.

Rumors Swirling

After her seriously public divorce, Elin felt more than ever that keeping her personal life private was essential. Even though there have been many rumors about her relationship with Cline, she has yet to discuss the relationship publicly. Even though they are not together, they reportedly still live close to one another.

The Lengths For Love

Even though it is unclear what happened with Cline, new rumors began to arise about a second new relationship. This time, she was seen at LAX airport, heading back to her home country Sweden in order to pursue a relationship with Jamie Dingman, the son of billionaire Michael Dingman.

Testing Out Another Star

Another man that Elin has been linked to is Gavin Rossdale of rock band Bush, and also ex-husband of singer Gwen Stefani. Perhaps the two were able to commiserate with one another about their high-profile divorces.

How Could Elin Do This?

Although it is quite well known that history repeats itself, many people still questioned this choice. Her choice to pursue a relationship with Rossdale raised many eyebrows, as he was known for cheating on his wife as well. People wondered how she was able to be with a made who had done exactly what her ex-husband had done?

Tiger’s New Romance

Before Tiger’s long term relationship with Erica, he had also been involved with Olympic ski star Lindsey Vonn. The two grew very close to one another in a short span of time, and were even seen double dating with Elin and Cline! However, after 3 years together, the two ended their relationship for good.

Yet Another Photo Scandal

Two years after Lindsey and Tiger broke up, they were thrown together once again during a photo scandal. Their photos were hacked and intimate photos of the two were shared on the internet. Tiger was adamant about finding the perpetators and vowed they would pay for what they did.

Accomplishing Her Goal

When Elin began her studies all those years ago, she could not have dreamed what turn her life would take. Despite everything she went through, she still remembered her initial goal. She decided to pursue it once again and enrolled in Rollins College, graduating in 2014, 9 years after she had first started school.

A Small Complication

Elin was on a great path of pursuing her degree and moving on to new relationships, but she did face a small bump in the road along the way. She was caught speeding (double the speed limit) in 2017 and was forced to take driving awareness classes and was also fined $281.

Crossing The Finish Line

Over the past 10 years, Elin has faced many ups and downs in the crazy rollercoaster of her life. However, it’s clear that she has come out on top. After dealing with a public and bitter divorce, she accomplished her goal of completing her degree while also raising her two kids.

What Keeps Them Connected

Even despite everything they have gone through, Elin and Tiger strive to keep things civil so they can easily co-parent their kids. It was important for them to both be present in their children’s lives and they do everything in their power to make sure this is a reality.

A New Friendship

When asked how he and Elin can remain friends after everything they’ve gone through, Tiger confidently answered: “It becomes two simple things, OK? We have Sam and we have Charlie. And we love them so much that we are going to whatever it takes to make that work. That’s how it happened.”

Focusing On Her Family

Even though Elin has gone through a public divorce and is still scrutinized by the paparazzi, her main focus still remains on her two kids. She continually aims to stay out of the spotlight and give her kids the best life she can possibly provide for them.

Her Most Recent Man

Ten years after the infamous divorce, Elin seems to have finally moved on to a serious new relationship. She has been linked to former NFL player Jordan Cameron. The pair have kept their relationship on a very low profile, but it is speculated that they have been together for about two years.

Who Is Jordan?

Elin’s new man Jordan Cameron first played college football at the University of Southern California as a tight end. In 2011, he was drafted by the Cleveland Browns and later played for the Miami Dolphins in 2015 until his retirement from the NFL in 2016, following four concussions throughout his professional career.

 The Blended Family

Elin and Jordan have managed to combine their families into one happy unit. Elin is mother to Sam Alexis who is 12 and Charlie Axel who is 10. Jordan is father to son Tristan, who is also 10 years old.

Baby Fever

The couple met at Art Basel in Miami a few years ago, and have been happily together ever since. They recently announced that Elin is pregnant with Jordan’s child! A close source claims: “Both Elin and Jordan have previously said they’d love to have more children, and Elin’s kids with Tiger, Sam and Charlie are really excited about having a new little brother or sister.”

Waiting For Their Baby

Elin and Jordan live together in her house in a private community in North Palm Beach. The couple is busy preparing for their new baby. It’s clear to everyone that they are excited for their baby’s arrival, which is due sometime in October 2019.

Tiger And Elin’s Current Relationship

Despite all of the pain and difficulty during her marriage and eventually divorce from Tiger, Elin has successfully moved on and healed from the ordeal. On their current relationship, she has shared: “We communicate so much better now, it’s incredible. I wish we would have done that earlier on, but it’s been incredible to have a best friend like that.”

The Exes Are Friends?

Elin is truly incredible. She is even able to become friends with Tiger’s current and also ex-girlfriends. While he was with Lindsey Vonn, the two women became good friends. Vonn said: “I mean, we spent a lot of time together because I was with Tiger for three years. She’s such a wonderful person, such a great mom…”

Lindsey And Elin

Elin and Lindsey grew close while Vonn was dating Tiger, but even after Linsdey and Tiger broke up, the two women have remained close. While at the Kentucky Derby, the two snapped a picture together that Vonn posted on her Instagram with the caption: “Great to see Elin and friends at the #kentuckyderby last weekend. She was stunning as always!”

Doing It For The Kids

Ten years on, Elin has built a new and wonderful life for herself, with a new baby on the way. This allows her to stay civil with Tiger for the benefit of their kids. She opened up: “I don’t think I doubted we’d end up here [being civil]. That was always my dream – that the kids can have two loving parents that show respect for each other. And I feel that’s what they have.”

His Season Of Disappointment

Tiger’s 2019 season was gearing up to be one of his best ever. However, it all came to a crashing halt come August 2019, when he failed to qualify for the Tour Championship. At the BMW Championship, Tiger finished at 38th place, while Justin Thomas came out on top as the overall winner.

Quite The Accomplishment

Tiger made history when in May 2019, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the youngest golfer to to do. He was awarded this honor for his contributions to the sport of golf and especially his comeback after he won a major at the 2019 Master’s Tournament for the first time in 11 years.

A Dedicated Family Man

Tiger seems to have finally gotten his life together, and he has become a dedicated family man along the way. Even though he and Erica are not married, they seem like a family already. She even joined him at the Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony along with his mother and his children.

Feelings Of Guilt

While Tiger has never publicly expressed regrets or remorse about what he did to Elin, the Parneviks, who introduced Tiger to Elin, have expressed feelings of guilt. The couple has said they feel that they share part of the responsibility to what she had been put through. Despite this, Elin insists that Tiger is the only one to blame.