PHOTOSFrom Marriage To Divorce & Coparenting: Tiger Woods & Elin Nordegren's Relationship Timeline — Photos
Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren's relationship has been quite the wild ride.
The former couple's marital woes have made headlines for years. From having to navigate multiple cheating scandals in front of the world to getting their friendship back on track to co-parent their children — the public has had a front row seat to Woods and Nordegren’s tumultuous dynamic.
Scroll through the images below to see Tiger Woods & Elin Nordegan's relationship throughout the years:
Tiger & Elin Meet At British Open Before Marrying In 2004
The professional golfer, 46, and the Swedish-born nanny, 42, first met in 2001 while Tiger was playing at the British Open.
“Elin told me that he [Tiger] didn’t make a great impression on her at first,” Elin's pal Sandra Sobieraj Westfall explained in the 2021 HBO documentary Tiger. “She had her opinions about celebrities and they were not high. And she’s very shy so the idea of joining that world was not appealing to her. And when he asked her out, I think she turned him down at first. … She gradually was convinced that she should give him a chance and so they did go out.”
The PGA star asked the blonde beauty to marry him in 2003 after two years of dating. They tied the knot in a ceremony in Barbados on October 5, 2004.
The Couple Welcomes Daughter Sam Alexis & Son Charlie Axel Woods As Cheating Accusations Arise
In June 2007, Elin gave birth to their baby girl, Sam Alexis Woods. The couple later welcomed son Charlie Axel Woods in February 2009.
The same year the former lovebirds welcomed their little boy, it was revealed that Tiger had been having several affairs. As multiple women began coming forward, claiming to have slept with the father-of-two during the eight years he was with Elin, Tiger eventually came clean and addressed the scandalous rumors.
"I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated," he admitted in February 2010 during a press conference. "I never thought about who I was hurting. Instead, I thought only about myself."
Tiger Caught Stepping Out Of The Marriage With Rachel Uchitel
One of Tiger's many alleged mistresses, Rachel Uchitel, 46, began having an affair with the golf pro after they were first introduced through New York Yankees icon Derek Jeter. After reports about their secret relationship came to light in 2009, the father-of-two initially had the nightclub manager tell his then-wife there was nothing going on between them.
"We had an extensive, 30-minute conversation, Elin and I, convincing her that I was not having a sexual relationship with Tiger,” Rachel remembered in the HBO documentary. "We talked about how I knew Tiger, how I knew his friends, how and why I was in Australia. The story came out and nobody looked at it. Between the stupid story and phone call with Elin, I remember thinking, 'Oh my God, we're gonna fly right over this."
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But the mother of Tiger's children soon found out the truth after Rachel answered a call she thought was from the athlete. "I answered saying something like, 'Hey babe, I thought you went to sleep,'" Rachel recalled. "And instead of Tiger's voice, it was Elin and she said, 'I knew it was you.'"
Tiger & Elin File For Divorce
Following the allegations of multiple affairs and Tiger checking himself into treatment for sex addiction, the golf champ and Elin finalized their divorce in August 2010.
“We are sad that our marriage is over, and we wish each other the very best for the future," Tiger said in a statement at the time. "While we are no longer married, we are the parents of two wonderful children and their happiness has been, and will always be, of paramount importance to both of us."
“Once we came to the decision that our marriage was at an end, the primary focus of our amicable discussions has been to ensure their future well-being," Tiger continued. "The weeks and months ahead will not be easy for them as we adjust to a new family situation, which is why our privacy must be a principal concern.”
The athlete previously reflected on his past actions and behavior before their divorce was finalized in an interview with Time via Us Weekly. “In hindsight, it’s not how I would change 2009 and how it all came about," he stated at the time, "It would be having a more open, honest relationship with my ex-wife."
"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 reportedly continued to confess. "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.”
The Former Couple Remains Close As They Coparent Their Children
Though the former flames called it quits over Tiger's infidelity, they were able to remain friends. “Having the relationship that I have now with her is fantastic," Tiger explained to Time in 2015 about his and Elin's friendship.
"We’re able to pick up the phone, and we talk to each other all the time. … It’s fun. She talks to me about her life, I talk to her about my life," he continued. "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.”
Tiger & Elin Disagree Over Their Son's Future
Despite remaining friends, OK! learned Elin and Tiger haven't been seeing eye-to-eye when it comes to their 12-year-old son's golf career.
"Tiger thinks it would be great for Charlie to have a destiny like his," a source exclusively told OK! after the father-son duo took home second place at the PNC Championship: "Tiger isn't trying to be pushy, he's just proud of his son and sees a lot of potential in him."
Meanwhile, "Elin worries he's going to suffocate Charlie," the insider dished. "She reasons it's hard enough to be a kid these days without this as added pressure."
