Golf
Tiger, Elin go separate ways
2009-12-22 07:23
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Florida - Tiger Woods is reportedly yachting to the Bahamas for the holidays to escape the firestorm over his sex scandal while his wife Elin is said to be off back to Sweden for Christmas with her family.
Woods, who turns 34 next week, launched his yacht from Palm Beach for the Bahamas at the weekend, with People magazine quoting an unidentified friend as saying that the golf star faced a deeply unhappy time ahead.
"He's devastated at everything he has lost," the magazine quoted the source as saying. "He will go through some dark times. It's going to be a lonely Christmas for him."
Both People and the Palm Beach Post reported the Bahamas as the supposed destination for the yacht named "Privacy".
Woods has admitted cheating on wife Elin and at least 14 women, one for every major golf crown he has won, have claimed to have had affairs with the world's first billionaire sportsman.
Sponsors have backed away from Woods and comedians have made him the punch line for jokes. Woods has put his golf career on hold indefinitely to work on his personal woes.
People also reported that Elin Woods, a Swedish model whom Woods married in 2004, will take the couple's two children with her to Sweden.
Celebrity website TMZ reported Elin would not immediately move to divorce Woods but said she has been especially upset by the sheer number of affairs by her husband and two particularly painful relationships.
She was reportedly most upset about a three-year relationship Woods maintained with one woman and that he was with another woman while she herself was pregnant.
People also reported that Tiger's Thai-born mother, Kultida Woods, was "hurt, angry and disappointed" in her son, according to an unnamed source close to the family.
"She wants to know how he could do this to his family," People reported the source said. "She loves him and will support him through anything but she needs some time to work through this. It was devastating to her.
"She likes Elin, adores her grandchildren. She's worried about them. She doesn't want to see them hurt."
Possible avenues for golf star Woods making a return to the public were reported even as book deals for examinations of Woods's fall from grace were said to be in the works.
MSNBC's Courtney Hazlett said sources close to Woods indicated he might appear on the January 9 edition of Saturday Night Live, which is to be hosted by a friend of Woods, retired basketball star Charles Barkley.
"He's a little incredulous at the way he is being judged," MSNBC quoted the source as saying. "If he went on SNL, it would definitely change the conversation."
The NBC network late-night comedy show spoofed Woods three weeks ago and two weeks ago aimed a parody at US PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem, mocking how he might defend events as interest and sponsorship dim without Woods.
Woods is also being sought by Hollywood director Todd Phillips for his sequel to "The Hangover", according to website Hollyscoop. Filming for the new movie is set to begin in about six months for a 2011 release.
"We are going to try and get Tiger Woods for the second one... Yeah, help him regain his image," the site quoted Phillips as saying.