Tiger Woods’ relationship with Lindsey Vonn may not be all that it seems. Sources tell us their announcement that they are dating “was a carefully crafted p.r. move.”
Woods, 37, and Vonn, 28, confirmed Monday on their Facebook pages that they are seeing each other, then asked for privacy because they want to live, in Woods’ words, “as an ordinary couple.”
He wrote, “Lindsey and I have been friends for some time, but over the last few months we have become very close and are now dating. We thank you for your support and for respecting our privacy. We want to continue our relationship, privately, as an ordinary couple and continue to compete as athletes.”
Their carefully orchestrated announcement was accompanied by a set of cozy pictures that would slot in perfectly at People magazine. And the New York Times breathlessly declared that the “potent” pair “immediately stole the title of Golf’s First Couple from top-ranked Rory McIlroy and his tennis-star girlfriend, Caroline Wozniacki . . . It is a match made for ‘SportsCenter.’ ”
But a source tells us, “Actually it is a match made in marketing heaven. It immediately makes him more sympathetic, and makes Vonn a household name as she reaches a crucial point in her skiing career, the 2014 Winter Olympics. They know the sponsors are watching.”
Following his cheating scandal and 2010 divorce from Elin Nordegren
[
photo, opposite page], another source told us, “Tiger had always hoped to win Elin back, so this is an unusual move.”
While Woods and Vonn have clearly spent time together (they’ve been spotted in Florida), we’re told he particularly relished playing the media with his announcement.
Of his decision to go public on Facebook, he said, “We’re happy with where we’re at, and we also wanted to limit the stalk-a-razzi and all those sleazy Web sites that are out there following us.” As one commenter put it, “I guess he needed a boost for the Masters.”