TIGER Woods’ scandalous past is taking centre stage once again.
In a candid interview with Time magazine, the embattled golfer is opening up about how his philandering ways led to the destruction of his marriage with Elin Nordegren.
“In hindsight, it’s not how I would change 2009 and how it all came about. It would be having a more open, honest relationship with my ex-wife,” Woods said. “Our frustrations would have come out if we had talked about it and been open and honest with each other.”
Upon discovering Woods had been unfaithful with a slew of porn stars, strippers and escorts, Nordegren famously chased her husband out of their $2.4 million Florida mansion on Thanksgiving night in 2009 with a golf club.
Tiger Woods is embraced by his then wife Elin after winning the British Open Golf Championship.Source:AP
Weeks after the incident, several of Woods’ past hook-ups came forward to tell their side of the story, including former nightclub hostess Rachel Uchitel and mistress Mindy Lawton, and he eventually entered rehab for sex addiction.
Woods and Nordegren’s divorce was finalised in 2010.
“It was too tough, too tough,” Woods said of the effort to make their marriage work amid the scandal. “But now, in hindsight, as years and years have gone by, we’re like the best friends.”
Woods said he’s at least broached the subject of his “mistakes” — a nice, gentle euphemism — with the two children, ages 8 and 6, he co-parents with Nordegren.
Former nightclub hostess Rachel Uchitel.Source:Supplied
Mindy Lawton, one the named mistresses of golfer Tiger Woods.Source:Supplied
“I’ve taken the initiative with the kids, and told them upfront, ‘Guys, the reason why we’re not in the same house, why we don’t live under the same roof, Mommy and Daddy, is because Daddy made some mistakes,’” Woods said. “I just want them to understand before they get to internet age and they log on to something or have their friends tell them something.”
In the lengthy interview, which also covers the decline of his golf career due to painful back injuries, Woods discusses how long-distance realities ended his post-divorce relationship with skier Lindsey Vonn.
Lindsey Vonn sits with Tiger Woods and his children Sam and Charlie during the Par 3 contest at the Masters in 2015.Source:AP
“With Lindsey, what was hard is we never had time together. We’re texting each other. It was a great relationship, but it was so hard,” he said. “It’s a relationship that was fantastic, but just can’t work on that level. It just could not work.”
Vonn recently spoke out about her courtship with Woods, revealing she still loves the golf great.
“I mean, I loved him, I still love him,” the Olympic skier told CNN. “I had an amazing three years with him. Sometimes thing just don’t work out, and unfortunately it didn’t for us.”
Originally published as Tiger Woods opens up on failed marriage
