Since Tiger and Elin got married in 2004, they seemed like a model couple on the outside. Wealthy, famous, and proud parents of a boy and a girl, the couple was the envy of the circuits. However, what the former model did not know was that her husband had been unfaithful for several years during their marriage with a dozen women, including a waitress who kept 300 erotic messages from the golfer. Then came the hotel director in Las Vegas and a contestant from an American reality show, among others.
At one point, Elin discovered the messages between her husband and one of his mistresses, triggering a heated argument that led to the couple's separation in 2009 and the subsequent divorce the following year. On a cover of People magazine in the summer of 2010, Elin confessed, "I've been through hell" and explained that "in the last three and a half years, when all this was happening, I was at home dealing with pregnancies, then the kids and school."
The scandal marked the decline of Tiger Woods. He lost some of his most powerful sponsors like TAG Heuer, Gatorade, Gillette, or AT&T because the image of being a family man that he projected was incompatible with his infidelities. During the bitter divorce process, Elin claimed 300 million dollars - half of his fortune - and custody of their children, Sam Alexis (17) and Charlie Axel (16). Finally, the former model onlyreceived 100 million dollars.
In 2017, Tiger wrote in his memoir Unprecedented, The Masters and Me that his regret "will last a lifetime. Nevertheless, Elin and I are dedicated to our children and have become the best of friends in caring for them. For us, the children are what matters."
The first formal relationship after Tiger Woods' separation was with Olympic skier Lindsay Vonn, with whom he had started dating in early 2013. On his official website, the golfer wrote that "something nice that happened off the course was meeting Lindsay Vonn. Lindsay and I have been friends for a long time, but in recent months we have become very close and now we are dating. We appreciate your support and respect for our privacy. We want to continue our relationship privately as a normal couple and keep competing as athletes."
Tiger's children got along well with Lindsey. They had found a good balance. They went to competitions together, went out for dinner on weekends, and shared a myriad of activities. But in May 2015, the couple broke up. This was announced by the American in a statement: "After nearly three years together, Tiger and I have decided to end our relationship by mutual agreement. Unfortunately, we both have very busy lives that occupy most of our time. I will always admire and respect Tiger. He and his beautiful family will always hold a special place in my heart."
While Woods tried to gradually revive his career, he tried to keep his private life as discreet as possible because he did not want to be a target for paparazzi. He once again became the center of attention when it was revealed at the end of 2016 that he was dating wardrobe designer Kristin Smith. Unlike his previous relationship, Tiger never publicly spoke about his new love, however, indirectly confirmed it when the Daily Mail reported that he was still with her when he was arrested for driving under the influence in May 2017.
On X -formerly Twitter-, the millionaire athlete wrote that "contrary to what the fake Daily Mail article claims, Kristin and I are no longer dating and haven't been since last year." Kristin also did not provide information to the press.
At that time, the golfer had serious back problems that required him to undergo surgery several times. But by the 2018 season, he was practically recovered. During the last operation, he was accompanied by his next girlfriend,Erica Herman, with whom he formalized his relationship on Instagram at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles in October 2017.
With Erica Herman, with whom he dated between 2018 and 2022.GTRES
The young woman worked as a manager at The Woods Jupiter in Florida, Woods' flagship restaurant. When their relationship became serious, he made her sign a confidentiality agreement that years later would be used as a weapon in court by Erica. She became the longest-lasting relationship of the golfer since his traumatic divorce from Erin. The former Swedish model was very happy for both of them, as besides being a friend of Erin, she got along very well with his children. What seemed idyllic was shattered in October 2022.
Various American media outlets reported that they had access to the court records and revealed that Erica had sued her ex-boyfriend for sexual harassment. She also took him to court considering the confidential agreement illegal and for deceiving her to evict her from the mansion they had shared in Miami. Apparently, the athlete had told her that she could stay in the residence for a maximum of five years, but they devised a plan to kick her out. Under the pretext of inviting her on a short vacation to the Bahamas without the golfer, Tiger's assistants told her at the airport that she could no longer return to the house.
Therefore, Erica demanded 28 million euros in compensation which, according to her and her lawyers, equated to the rent of the mansion during that period plus the moral damages caused. In November 2023, Erica withdrew her lawsuits against the golf superstar and the trust that owned his mansion in Florida, claiming that she never accused him of sexual harassment despite her lawyer making that claim.
Shortly before Thanksgiving last year, Tiger Woods started a relationship with Vanessa Trump, with whom he has just gotten engaged.