Parents’ Painful Divorce Gave Elin Nordegren the Courage to Survive Nasty Tiger Woods Split 23 Years Later

Fate played a rather cruel joke on Elin Nordegren. A child of divorce, the former model also had to go through troubles with Tiger Woods only six years into their marriage. Nordegren and Woods split up in 2010, 23 years after her parents broke up. That first split she experienced as a child also imparted a crucial lesson to her.

The Swede spent time equally with both parents while growing up. Something that has influenced her co-parenting decision as well, as the former model recounted in a past interview, lauding her parents for leading an exemplary life.

Elin Nordegren went through what she had as a child

Despite their split, Woods and Nordegren share a good friendship. In fact, the 15-time Major winner went to the extent of calling his ex-wife one of his best friends. Nordegren, however, points to her parents for that. Speaking to People.com, the former model said, “Despite the split, I feel like the base was still there. My mom showed me that it is possible to be on your own, be a mother, and still pursue your career.”

Nordegren spent much of her childhood between two parents, Charlie Woods and Samantha Woods. Her father moved to Germany after the divorce. Nordegren and her twin sister, Josefin, moved with their father. “We did 11th grade at John F. Kennedy School in Berlin,” the 44-year-old said.

Nordegren is also a firm believer that it’s better to stay single and happy than to be together when trust is lost. “I am now going to do my very best to show them that alone and happy is better than being in a relationship where there is no trust. I want to show my kids what my parents showed me as a child.“

Staying true to her words, the 44-year-old hasn’t missed an opportunity to support his children. Be it Sam Woods’s soccer matches or Charlie Wood’s golf games, Nordegren has been spotted with her children many times after the divorce.

Tiger Woods and Nordegren have mastered the art of co-parenting

While Woods is known to frequent Charlie’s school matches, even caddying for him, Nordegren, on the other hand, has lent her support from outside the ropes. In the 2020 PNC Championship, when Charlie Woods first played with his pop, the former model was cheering for Team Woods. Before that as well, after Woods’s 2021 car crash, his ex-wife took Sam and Charlie Woods to practice matches.

Most recently, Elin Nordegren was also present at the Lost Lake Golf Club, where the 15-year-old tried his luck at the pre-qualifier for the Cognizant Classic Monday qualifier. Speaking about their co-parenting skills, Notah Begay III, a close friend of the Woods family, earlier said, “I talked about Tiger being at all those soccer games and youth activities — well, Elin’s right there and right next to them. Co-parenting is a difficult task, and they’ve really done a wonderful job for their kids.” Elin Nordegren has a child of her own with former NFL star Jordan Cameron.