Orlando, FL -
(AP) Sports has a new power couple: Tiger Woods and Lindsey Vonn confirmed they're dating.
Two months after rumors began circulating in
Europe, Woods and Vonn posted separated items on their Facebook pages
Monday afternoon to announce their relationship. The posts include
photos of golf's 14-time major winner and the Olympic and World Cup
downhill ski champion.
"This season has been great so far and I'm happy
with my wins at Torrey and Doral," Woods said. "Something nice that's
happened off the course was meeting Lindsey Vonn. Lindsey and I have
been friends for some time, but over the last few months we have become
very close and are now dating."
Woods made a stop in Austria - where Vonn was
competing in the Alpine skiing world championships - in January on his
way to Abu Dhabi to start his season. Two weeks ago, after he won the
Cadillac Championship at Doral for his second win this year, The Daily
Mail published photos that showed a woman, who appeared to be Vonn, in a
golf cart at the marina where Woods' yacht "Privacy" was docked.
"I guess it wasn't a well-kept secret but yes, I am
dating Tiger Woods," Vonn said on her Facebook page. "Our relationship
evolved from a friendship into something more over these past few months
and it has made me very happy."
Both said they wanted to keep everything else private.
Woods posted four photos with Vonn on his page, while Vonn's had one of those photos.
Vonn is recovering from right knee surgery -
something familiar to Woods - after a Feb. 5 crash that ended her
season. Her divorce from Thomas Vonn after more than four years became
official in January. They separated in 2011. Vonn, whose maiden name is
Kildow, decided to keep Vonn as her last name after the divorce.
The announcement was one day after the World Cup season ended. Vonn hopes to return in time for the Olympics next year in Sochi.
Woods' past relationships are far more sensational.
His marriage of five years to Elin Nordegren of
Sweden collapsed in 2010 after shocking revelations of multiple
extramarital affairs. His infidelity was exposed the night after
Thanksgiving in 2009 when he ran his car into a tree and a fire hydrant
outside his Florida home.
Woods spent the summer of 2010 working out details
of a divorce, which became official in August that year. They share
custody of their two children.
He is playing the Arnold Palmer Invitational this
week at Bay Hill, where he is a seven-time winner and the defending
champion. Woods can return to No. 1 in the world for the first time
since October 2010 if he wins.
After that, Woods is not expected to play until the Masters on April 11-14.
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