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Unlike his golf game, Tiger Wood’slife has been anything but a straight drive. Having achieved the highest ofhighs winning 14 majors by the time he was 32 and enduring the lowest of lowswith his failed marriage, the golfer opened up to Time in a new candidinterview to discuss his past infidelities.
Tiger's most important thing in life is his kids Photo: Getty Images
Tiger, who was married to Elin Nordegren, found himself at the center of a huge scandal and media circus in2009 when news of his various affairs and mistresses came to light. “Inhindsight, it's not how I would change 2009 and how it all came about. It wouldbe having a more open, honest relationship with my ex-wife," he said. “We both know that themost important things in our lives are our kids. I wish I would have known thatback then.”
After delivering a public apology,the father-of-two and his Swedish wife divorced in 2010. They tried to make itwork, but the 39-year-old admitted, “It was too tough, too tough.”
However these days, herevealed that he and Elin are on great terms. “As years and years have gone by, we’re like best friends. It’s fun. She talks to me about her life, I talk to her about my life,” he said. "Having the relationship that I have now with her is fantastic. She's one of my best friends. We're able to pick up the phone, and we talk to each other all the time."
Elin and Tiger in 2006 are now the best of friends Photo: WireImage for PGA TOUR
Together, the former couple parent their two young children — daughter Sam andson Charlie. “We’ve worked so hard at co-parenting, to make sure that theirlives are fantastic,” he said.
The golf pro has already takenthe initiative with his kids when it comes to dealing with his past. Herevealed he told them, “Guys, the reason why we’re not in the same house, whywe don’t live under the same roof, Mommy and Daddy, is because Daddy made somemistakes.”
Tiger explained, “I just want them tounderstand before they get to Internet age and they log on to something or havetheir friends tell them something.” Though when they’re old enough, he says he will tell them the “real story.”
The pro athlete added, “I was to blame, and so I’m taking initiativewith the kids. I’d rather have it come from me, as the source. And I can tellthem absolutely everything, so they hear it from me.”
Despite his past indiscretions, Tiger was able to find love again with Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn. The couple dated for three years before calling it quits earlierthis year. Citing the reason for their split, Tiger said, “What was hardis we never had time together.”
Tiger and Lindsey ended their three year relationship earlier this year Photo: Getty Images
“It was a great relationship, but it was so hard, when I’mtraining to do my sport, it takes umpteen hours to do, and I can’t travel,except to my tournaments, because I’m here dedicated to my two kids," he shared. "Meanwhile,most of her summer is spent in South America, at training camps in Chile andArgentina, and then you’ve got her season, which is mostly in Europe... It’s a relationship that was fantastic, but it just can’t workon that level. It just could not work. It was doing an injustice to both of us.”
While their relationship did not work out, the Olympian still harborsfeelings for her ex. “I mean, I loved him and I still lovehim,” she recently revealed to CNN. "I had an amazing three years withhim."
Lindsey added, "Sometimes things just don't work outand unfortunately it didn't work out for us. But I don't have any regrets, and Ithink we're both in a pretty good place."