Tiger Woods Put Elin Nordegren 'Through Hell'

By PopEater Staff Posted Aug 25th 2010 09:29AM

Tiger Woods' cheated wife, Elin Nordegren, is finally having her say, telling PEOPLE she was "blindsided" and "embarrassed" by the philandering golfer's many mistresses.

"I've been through hell," Nordegren says in the cover story, adding she hoped to salvage her marriage even after the affairs came to light. The damage proved irreparable; her divorce was finalized Monday. "Initially, I thought we had a chance, and we tried really hard. I felt stupid as more things were revealed -- how could I not have known anything? The word 'betrayal' isn't strong enough."

Elin says she's been through stages of disbelief, shock, anger and "ultimately grief over the loss of the family I so badly wanted for my children. 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."

After the jump, more excerpts from PEOPLE's in-depth interview with the former Mrs. Tiger Woods.

Nordegren, 30, remains classy and forgiving when discussing Woods, 34. "I wish him all the best in the future, as a person and as an athlete," she says. "I know he is going to go down as the best golfer that ever lived, and rightfully so. I feel privileged to have witnessed a part of his golfing career."

ABC reports the PEOPLE interview was conducted over 19 hours in a rented home in Florida, with Elin, who was born in Sweden, writing some of her answers to ensure her English depicted her feelings completely accurately.

"I never suspected, not a one," Elin says of Tiger's many affairs, which included porn stars and Rachel Uchitel. "For the last three-and-a-half years, when all this was going on, I was home a lot more with pregnancies, then the children and my school."

Nordegren was rumored to receive three-fourths of Woods' estimated $1 billion fortune. Sources now tell PopEater's Rob Shuter her settlement is closer to $100 million. "Money can't buy happiness," Elin says, "or put my family back together." She says this interview is the last she'll speak on the matter.

"She's still in a bad place, but getting better," PEOPLE deputy managing editor Peter Castro told 'Good Morning America.' "This is a woman with incredible grace and poise and really a model for how you should repair your life."

While the magazine's reporter was with Nordegren in Florida, Castro says Woods showed up unannounced to drop off the couple's 3-year-old daughter, Sam, and 1-year old son, Charlie. Elin reminded them to kiss papa goodbye. "It was a very, very pleasant scene and that was one of the surprising things," Castro said. "It shows very clearly there really is no animosity. Elin is moving on." The two will share custody of their children.

In the full interview, Elin also speaks about falling in love with Tiger, the "truly ridiculous" speculation that she harmed Woods on the night of his December car accident and her belief in one day finding another love.

Tags: Elin Nordegren, PEOPLE, Tiger Woods

Comments

(58)

Wednesday 25 August

By Puffy

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

I know. Tiger's contribution to the world by hitting balls with a metal stick is vast. How dare she expect anything for having his children, standing by his side, and probably having to go along with his deviant sexual demands while he is how there "working" so hard on a golf course.

By Paula

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Yeah she's been through hell......I'd go through her "hell" if I could walk away with 100 million plus! Please....just another story of a beautiful uneducated blonde snatching a rich man, having his babies, and just waiting for him to mess up so she can take his fortune.

By Becky

Wow, from what I've read, Tiger pursued her and she didn't want to date him...actually had to be persuaded that he was a good guy by one of his fellow golfers. To generalize a gender is wrong and by the way, he cheated on her, not the other way around. Let's place the blame where it belongs and quit blaming the victim here. Tiger Woods is an adult and made a choice to marry her and to screw every woman he could get his hands on. When people make these kinds of choices, the consequences can be terrible, on the kids, the spouse, and on the wallet.

By Ken

Vote down Vote up Report this

Although Tiger Woods' incredibly chronic adultery repels me, I seem to recall that Sweden (and Denmark) are renowned for sexual libertinism and permissiveness. How many cheated-upon spouses have there been all these years, including those affected in other European countries? And Ms. Nordegren's father is a radio talk show host in Sweden - just where is his position on such issues? This somewhat reduces my interest in Ms. Nordegren's indignation.

By onceagain1011

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Prostitution was legal in the US prior to the 1910 time frame. As far as Sweden, prostitution isn't illegal, but 'buying' sex is. Yep... you can sell yourself and it's not illegal, but if you're a 'john' you can be arrested. As far as prostitutes being legal it's to regulate, keep it healthy and gain tax revenue. Talk about our crazy laws in the U.S. I'm not quite sure why you care what her father thinks. I'm sure he thinks like any father, his daughter was hurt and humiliated so he hurts for her. Just because prostitution is legal does not mean that people have to act on it. Just like any other vice, smoking, drinking, legal drugs.

By teenatx

culture crap, man yes.....all men are the same! Money will never replace the pain and suffering that Elin has/will go thru because the cheater! It will be very difficult for her to fully trust again!

By sethjj1975

I'm betting part of the divorce settlement was that she not speak ill of the douchebag in a public forum. That's the only reason, beyond respecting their children, she could possibly have for being so forgiving. If all she got was 100 million he got off ludicrously easy and should be counting his blessings ever day for the rest of his life. He's a total tool and maybe now that the divorce is settled we can never hear about this douche in any aspect but golfing.

By Martin PA

I am glad they have remained civil to each other and that she has decided to stay in the United States and share custody of the children . That's the way it should be when possible. I wish them both much healing and much happiness ..

By lisa

I think the staying in the United States part was by court order not by choice. Where is that pre-nup?

By Bert

Had to be some kind of deal struck with regard to Elin keeping quiet after the settlement because the pre-nup was for far less than a hundred grand. That money may not but happiness but it will sure soften the sorrow, no matter what anyone says. I mean If my wife told me she wanted a divorce on the day I found out I had bought the winning lotto numbers, I'd be a bit torn emotionally. The lotto news just might take the edge off of the devistation.

By flippityfloop

As has been said: marry for money and you'll earn every penny.

By Brian

Tiger is so bad because he is Black and plays golf. Only a Black Golfer would be capable of such behav...oops, forgot about JESSE JAMES. I guess being a Black athlete has NOTHING to do with cheatig on his wife.

By holly

It shouldn't be too hard to be a model for how to repair your life when you have 100 million to work with. She'll be just fine.

So. True.

By eddie

When I speak of the culture i refer to michael vick. After he was found guilty many prominent black people came out and said it was his culture. I guess this was a way to justify his actions. I thought maybe it was the same for tiger because so many people came out and said he shouldnt be blamed for his actions. I think tiger woods is an idiot for what he did. He had the world in his hands and he chose to throw it away for a romps in the hay. Please all of you black people out there who are mad at what I said. You want to use your culture when it is to your advantage but when it is not you get mad if it used. You cant have it both ways.

By bookstuboo

This country continues to do what we always do. We take someone and build them up and when they do something wrong (in this case many times wrong)we can't wait to tear them down. How long will the media continue this story. I guess it keeps them from having to do real reporting on some other matter. Woods is living in his own hell as his golf game will show. So isn't it about time we gave him some room?

By LC

She has been quiet for 9 months, the ink on the divorce papers is barely dry...finalized Monday I think...48 hrs later she does her "one and only interview?"...something's wrong with that.

By kerry

She deserves 100 million. He slept with multitudes of women, some in parking lots, etc. He admitted he didn't use protection. She is very, very lucky she didn't get HIV, or another disease, as that is high risk behavior on his part. Good luck to her!

Yes, you're probably right. We finally got tired of being used and expected to be your mommy and look after your cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc. as well as being a playmate in bed. I don't understand why men are surprised that women don't think that waiting on them is such a big honor.

I wish her much success in her life. She did go through all of this in the public eye and showed grace and restraint. I don't think she wanted her kids one day to read the horrible things she could have said about their father. No matter what they are a part of their father, so insult them is to insult the kids. As far as the money accusations. If Tiger hadn't screwed up, down and all around those children would have been brought up in a certain manner of wealth. But because of his selfishness they should not be punished nor not reap the rewards of their father's success. It so happens their mom is the primary caretaker and will benefit from that. Elin, as so many, put Tiger on a pedestal so he had far to fall. I'm sure she didn't think he was capable of doing what he did any more than anyone else thought he was. The fact is, he did. His kids should not suffer because he couldn't keep his pants zipped.

Page 2 of 3