Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren’s romance seems to be a match made in heaven at first. In the end, their beautiful marriage was shadowed by Tiger’s countless adulterous affairs. For years, we’ve seen and heard Tiger’s side of the story, but never Elin’s.
For the first time, the Swedish-born model and ex-wife have spoken up regarding the messy scandals, unwanted divorce, and every situation she has gone through. Not only is she doing well for herself, but she also has a career in a completely different field. Let's find out what Elin looks like now!
A Whirlwind Romance
When they met, Elin was “fresh off the boat” and was starting to live her life in a new country. Coming from a country like Sweden, she didn’t know anybody in the United States of America, so making friends was a bit hard. Although, a brief encounter would change her life forever.
Elin Nordegren met Tiger Woods through one of their mutual friends, and it was as if it was love at first sight. Tiger was so smitten with the Swedish beauty, and he knew that he had to do everything he could to date her. In the end, he succeeded, but he did something quite ghastly too…
Trouble in Paradise
A few years after their luxurious wedding, problems started to arise for both Tiger and Elin. Countless mistresses started popping out like mushrooms, and Elin was devastated. She had no idea how her husband could do something like this to her.
Nearly fifteen women came forward in the first year of Tiger’s cheating scandal, leaving Elin at a loss for words. It was as if she had no idea who the man in front of her was, but she remained silent. All she wanted was to keep a low profile, but if you’re married to a golf legend, then that wouldn’t be the case.
Who is Elin Nordegren?
Most of us know who Tiger Woods is, but we might not know anything about his Swedish-born ex-wife. Elin Nordegren has managed to stay out of the public eye for years, especially during her ex-husband’s cheating scandal. So who is the real Elin?
Elin was born in Stockholm, Sweden, and she was the first-born twin as she came first to her sister, Josefin. She had an ordinary childhood growing up in Sweden, but her happy childhood was soon thwarted because of their parent’s divorce. Although, this didn’t stop Elin from living her best life and from dreaming her big dreams.
A Swedish-Born Model
During an ordinary day in Stockholm, Elin was approached by the photographer, Bingo Rimer. Bingo asked her if she wanted to model, to which she excitedly agreed. Elin had never modeled before, but this was the first step towards achieving her dreams – so she agreed.
The photos that Bingo took went viral, and so a lot of magazines in Europe wanted to book Elin. This was the start of a successful modeling career, and she was so excited that her dreams were finally coming true. However, Elin realized something that made her think about seriously quitting modeling…
Life Was Average
While modeling gave Elin the outlet to be creative and earn some money, this wasn’t her dream. She wanted to be a child psychologist, and she wanted to go back to school. So after a few years of modeling, she quit in favor of going back to school and getting her education.
Elin was working odd jobs just to survive and get herself through university, but it seemed that it wasn’t enough. She knew that she needed more if she was going to reach her goals. So she kept on looking until she found a path that would lead her to the United States of America.
She Wanted the American Dream
Elin was working at a local store in Stockholm when she was approached if she wanted to be a nanny. The pay was good, which meant that she could emigrate to the United States of America. Not only that, but the family she would be nannying to was Jesper Parnevik’s.
Jesper is a famous American golfer, and his family thought that Elin could be the perfect nanny for their son. Elin thought about this offer quite seriously, and she realized that an opportunity like this only came by once. So she took the risk and moved to the States with the Parnevik’s, and she started her new life Stateside.
Meeting the Love of Her Life
Since Jesper is a famous golfer, he moved in the same circle as Tiger Woods. The Parnevik’s was the reason why Elin and Tiger met, and they were instrumental in getting the pair together.
Elin was shy, and she didn’t know whether she should date this famous golfer, but Tiger was persistent. He knew that he had to have Elin because of her beauty and her flair for life, so he did whatever it took to take her out on a date. Finally, Elin agreed, which became the start of a long courtship…
It Was a Match Made in Heaven
When they started dating, Elin couldn’t believe her luck, and she couldn’t believe how a successful man like Tiger would even be interested in her. Still, she lived her life, and she fell deeply in love with the golfer. A few years after their first date, Tiger proposed to Elin, and she gladly accepted his proposal.
Their wedding was ultimately lavish, and they even flew all of their family and friends together to an island in Barbados. Tiger apparently spent nearly USD 20,000,000 for the wedding of their dreams, and Elin couldn’t be happier. She was really living her fairy tale.
They Were Blessed with Children
Elin never thought that life would be better – she was just a nanny from Sweden who lucked out, as she said. A few years after their marriage, both Elin and Tiger welcomed two children: Sam and Charlie Woods. These children completed their family, and they were so happy.
The thing about Sam and Charlie was that they both inherited their father’s golfing skills. It was uncanny, but they were practically Tiger’s mini-me’s, and even Elin laughed about how true it was. They were a happy family, but not for long…
Trouble Started to Arise
In 2009, Elin found an article claiming that Tiger was having an affair with a woman named Rachel Uchitel. The affair apparently happened while Tiger was in New York. Naturally, Elin confronted her husband, but he denied these allegations.
Elin was still so in love with Tiger that she believed his husband, even though she could feel it deep within that he might be lying. Still, they carried on with their lives, and they took care of their two beautiful children. However, the scandals didn’t end there…
Tiger’s Infidelity Problems
When the time came for Rachel to address her affair with Tiger, she miraculously backed out because of a check worth USD 10,000. This seemed like a good decision on Tiger’s part, but this didn’t help at all because now, all of his mistresses want a piece of his money. So there were more women wanting to tell their stories.
Tiger apparently had multiple mistresses while he was married to Elin, and these scandals were starting to take a toll on Elin’s health. His wife still refused to believe the allegations even though there were countless women blaming Tiger. Still, she stood by her husband, but she was already questioning every single thing that’s been happening in their marriage.
She Refused to Believe Them
There were more women who came forward with cheating allegations against Tiger like Holly Sampson, Mindy Lawton, Kalika Moquin, Jamie Jungers, and Cori Rist. These names were just a few from the long list of mistresses that Tiger had. It was appalling.
While these women kept coming forward, Elin was starting to withdraw from public life. All she wanted was to disappear with her children and live a completely quiet life, but that just wasn’t the case. Still, she didn’t believe the allegations, but one day, her life turned completely upside down…
Then Proof Showed Up
Even though their personal life was all over the news, Elin didn’t want to believe that her beloved husband would do such a thing to her. She didn’t want to believe that Tiger would do something drastic to break up their family. However, what she saw in Tiger’s phone would shock her to the core.
Elin looked through Tiger’s phone and saw all the messages he had sent to his mistresses. After questioning everything and sticking by her husband’s side, she now had the proof that she needed. Tiger was really cheating on her, and all the women coming forward were telling the truth.
A Tragic Accident
After looking through her husband’s phone, Elin grabbed a golf club and tried to attack Tiger. Fortunately for Tiger, he had the chance to catch his keys and flee with his car. Elin was so mad, and she had no idea what she did to deserve such bad treatment from her own husband.
Little did she know that Tiger would have a car crash later that night because he would fall asleep on the wheel and hit a fire hydrant. Still, Elin was beside her husband during this medical emergency. However, she knew that she had had enough.
The Couple Divorced
In 2010, both parties agreed to divorce, and they both agreed on a settlement. Tiger was a millionaire, so people and the media speculated on how much money Elin would get from her divorce settlement. Although Elin didn’t really care about the money, all she wanted were her children and her peace of mind.
In the end, Elin got over USD 100,000,000 from her divorce with Tiger, and they shared custody with their children. Elin hated Tiger for how he treated her, but she said that he was a great father to Charlie and Sam. Finally, the couple has parted ways.
Learning How to Co-Parent
Even though Tiger was a terrible husband, he was a pretty decent father, according to Elin. Both their children also loved their father, and that was all that mattered. So both Elin and Tiger learned how to co-parent without feeling the urge to hurt each other.
In the end, Elin and Tiger worked together as the mother and father of their children. It surely wasn’t easy, especially for Elin, but they were starting to make it through the years. Now, Elin just needed to find the right path for her away from Tiger’s shadow.
What Was In The Divorce Settlement?
Everyone was eager to know what Elin would receive in her divorce settlement. When she met Tiger she had nothing, and now his infidelities were splashed across every major newspaper. The world was anxious to know how she would rebuild her life and wanted her to receive exactly what she deserved.
As the divorce proceedings happened, paparazzi constantly swarmed Elin. Her face was splashed across every website and news outlet. How would the world respond when they realized what she had earned?
Triple Digits Of Success
After the proceedings were finalized, all the court documents became available to the public. Elin had walked away from her marriage with $100,000 USD, but that wasn’t everything. Elin and Tiger still had two children together and the court documents outlined what her child support would equal too.
Every month, Elin would also receive $20,000 USD for spousal and child support. She received one final piece from her previous life and what she did next shocked readers everywhere.
A Property Of Old Memories
Elin and Tiger had a house in Windermere, Florida. She was given the house in the divorce and everyone expected she would continue to live in the space. Instead, Elin saw this chapter of her past life and everything it was associated with and made a quick decision.
She sold the house and bought a smaller condo for her and her two children. The divorce agreement stated that the parents agreed to joint custody, which meant Elin would have a lot more free time on her hands. It was time to hear her side of the story.
A Budding Romance
Elin was still keeping out of the spotlight but had been romantically linked with coal executive Chris Cline. Everyone was excited to see if this would be Elin’s perfect match, but she had other plans in store.
After her marriage and very public divorce, Elin wasn’t looking to fall in love again. While she quietly dated Chris for two years the pair amicably called it quits. This was a time that would be life-changing for Elin, and she wanted to appreciate the time dedicated just to her.
Time To Focus On Elin
It had been so long since Elin had been able to focus on herself. She grew up in Sweden where she began modeling and married Tiger Woods shortly after moving to the states. While her children were her number one priority, she was a close second.
What could the public expect from the new single and independent Swedish model? While she was soft-spoken and quiet there was a fire burning inside Elin that was about to get her in a lot of hot water.
A Need For Speed
While Elin didn’t go out a lot, she, unfortunately, was caught driving 9 mph over the speed limit in North Palm Beach back in 2012. At the time it was in the news because of who she was but she also acknowledged it would be for the best to get driving lessons.
With her time spent between being a full-time mom and student, she would need to squeeze in the lessons to get her license back. As she hit pause and focused on her road safety, a surprising interview with her ex-husband brought her right back into the spotlight.
Time Magazine Interview
After five years, the public wanted to know how the couple’s relationship was. Tiger Woods had publicly confessed to cheating on Elin with over 100 women and she had taken a golf club to his car. It was fair to say no one expected the adults to stay friends.
In 2015, Woods proved the public wrong by sitting down with Time magazine and saying his ex-wife was one of his "best friends." Likewise, Nordegren has said that Woods is a great father to their children. Would there be any proof of this new friendship?
Double Dates
When the TIME magazine interview was published Elin was no longer dating Chris Cline, but Tiger was still dating his Olympic girlfriend Lindsey Vonn. The golfer told the magazine and the shocked public that the couples would go on double dates together.
Since the parents had to work together in joint custody, they found it easier to bury the hatchet and stay friends. It was an impressive achievement after their rocky history. Would Tiger come to Elin’s side when she was dealt a new tragic blow?
A Reunion Followed By Tragedy
In 2016, Elin had a brief reunion with her ex-boyfriend Chris Cline. The pair were spotted looking happy and content a few months before his 61rst birthday. Cline tragically passed away on his 61rst birthday in a helicopter accident.
Once again, Elin was in the spotlight because of losing a man she loved. She grieved privately and relied on close friends including her ex-husband Tiger Woods. The next time she was in the paparazzi photographs was a losing streak created entirely on her own.
A Quiet Flame Ignited In Miami
Unbeknownst to the general public, Elin had met NFL star Jordan Cameron at the hot spot Art Basel in Miami. The first night they met it was an instant connection but Elin was actively trying to keep it out of the public eye.
Cameron was not used to the scrutiny that Elin received daily, and it almost jeopardized their love connection from the beginning. The couple decided they would follow these simple rules to keep their spark alive behind closed doors.
Keeping It A Private Party
Elin and Jordan began to date seriously but hid it from the public eye for over a year. They met secretly or maintained alibis and group situations every time they saw each other. Behind closed doors, Elin’s kids loved spending time with Jordan and the family was becoming very close.
Jordan made a big decision a year into dating Elin that would require their relationship to enter the spotlight. Jordan scheduled a press conference and he knew he had to have Elin by his side. Would she shy away from another high publicity romance?
Did He Retire To Spend More Time With Her?
During Jordan’s career, he had received many concussions. The young man realized through his relationship with Elin that he needed to focus on his family and couldn’t risk any further injuries or potential brain damage.
After only five years in the NFL, Cameron retired in 2017. His decision brought the debate up again if the NFL was doing enough to protect their athletes. Jordan would never regret the decision because his relationship with Elin was about to enter an exciting new chapter.
Selling A Slice Of Sunset
After Jordan retired, Elin decided to make a big change in her own life, specifically her real estate portfolio. In 2018 she decided to list two properties. They were her North Palm Beach mansion, and her Juno Beach condo.
Elin listed the mansion for $50 million USD but after a fluctuating real estate market, finally sold it for half the listing price in September 2020. Elin’s condo sold much quicker in 2019, and everyone wondered why the sudden clean sweep? It would turn out Elin and Jordan had big news to share with the world.
Welcoming Baby Arthur
Elin and Jordan moved their families in together and then welcomed their son Arthur in October 2019. The baby was originally named Filip Nordegren Cameron but was legally changed to Arthur in February 2020. Elin and Jordan also had a private wedding ceremony in 2019 before Arthur arrived.
While it would seem that Elin was finally getting her happily ever after one dark cloud darkened her year. Being a celebrity cast a wide spotlight but also left her bad deeds in the shadows. This one would not be overlooked and bring Elin into a media frenzy.
The Final Strike Of Lightening
On February 4, 2019, Elin was again pulled over for going 95 mph in a 65 mph zone. It was her third public speeding ticket with a heft fine of $356 USD. In an attempt to garner good publicity, Elin and Tiger shared candid moments of their family attending a public sports event.
From all angles, it looked like Elin was living a successful and bright future. When she arrived in America almost twenty years she had very different goals for her future. How was this version of her life comparing the original goals she had set?
Finally Living The American Dream
Elin feels a new sense of joy with her child and marriage. Finally, she is experiencing the American dream that she dreamed about as a young girl in Norway. Throughout her life, Elin has been in several different positions, including a model, a nanny, a wife, a public figure, and her favorite, a mother.
Even though she prefers to stay out of the spotlight, the world continues to watch on enjoy her happiness. With the support of her husband Jordan and a blossoming psychology career, Elin proves that you can accomplish anything you put your mind to.
I’ve Never Felt Stronger
Elin welcomed People magazine into her home and spoke with the team about her naivety and the surprise at her husband’s affairs. She told them that the only thing that mattered was her children and her education.
Elin told People magazine, “I’ve been through hell, and it’s hard to think you have this life, and then all of a sudden—was it a lie? You’re struggling because it wasn’t real. But I survived. It was hard, but it didn’t kill me.” Digging deep with this newfound strength, Elin became unstoppable.
The Ground Rules For The Interview
When Elin granted People magazine the interview in 2010, there were many rules they had to comply with. She wouldn’t allow her children to be photographed and wanted to write her answers in English as she didn’t fully trust speaking in English.
It felt like a different lifetime when Swedish-born Elin landed in America. She wasn’t going to let this marriage steal her American dream, but it was becoming a different goal than she originally wanted. This new dream focused on obtaining something very important, and it was taking all of her focus to unlock this next chapter.
Did She Miss Golf?
Being married to a world-famous golfer, their lives were dictated by Tiger’s schedule. When the divorce was finalized Elin shared what was keeping her busy these days. Instead of golf, the young mom was learning how to bake and read to her children in Swedish and English.
The most important things were her studies, and Elin received an honor that was shocking. She had started at school with the hopes of passing and getting her bachelor's but now her college wanted to publicly recognize her. Was it a publicity stunt or was this model beauty and brains?
Giving A Commencement Address
Humble and soft-spoken, Elin stood at the podium and stared at her fellow graduates. Elin began her speech by stating the public perceptions. “I've been called ‘a woman with no words’ in the media and criticized for not talking very much,” she said. At this moment, Elin had a lot to say.
The audience wanted to know if she would mention her famous ex or speak about her personal struggles, but she had a bigger message. It had taken her nine years to graduate from college in a second language and a foreign country. As the room waited, Elin made one thing very clear.
I Owe A Lot To My Education
Elin had been in college for nine years. She explained, “When I entered my student advisor office in the fall of 2005, I was 25 years old, I’d just recently moved to America, I was married without children. Today, nine years later, I’m a proud American and I have two beautiful children, but I’m no longer married.”
Her studies had become a safe haven while she navigated the many personal challenges life kept throwing at her. As she accepted the degree and looked towards the future, she realized she would only rely on herself. It wouldn’t take long for romance to find Elin again….