He's the sultan of swings and the king of flings. But did Tiger Woods recently propose
to his latest girlfriend? We're teeing up a deep dive into their relationship history.
The world caught wind of Tiger Woods' relationship with Erica Herman in 2017. During the Presidents
Cup in September of that year, photographers snapped Herman wearing a "player spouse"
credential, typically worn by the girlfriend or spouse of a player or captain. Herman could
be seen cozying up to Woods on the golf course, hinting that the two may be an item. In October,
the two were spotted together again, this time wearing matching Los Angeles Dodgers jerseys at
Dodger Stadium for the World Series.
When exactly they met gets a little blurry, however. According to The Palm Beach Post,
the two knew each other before 2017. Herman started working at Tiger's restaurant,
The Woods Jupiter, when it opened in 2015. A source told the outlet that the golfer visited
the restaurant often and shared what seemed to be a "strictly professional" relationship
with Herman. However, a report from Page Six says the two met at Blue Martini in Orlando,
where Herman worked as a bartender while she was an undergrad at the University of Central Florida.
Erica Herman was by Tiger Woods' side after he suffered significant injuries to his right leg
following a single-car accident in California in February 2021. He was
extracted from his car and had to undergo emergency surgery. TMZ cameras captured
Herman visiting Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where Tiger was hospitalized.
A source told Us Weekly that Herman was there throughout his entire recovery process, saying:
"Erica dropped everything to be with Tiger the moment she
heard what happened. She's been by his bedside, holding his hand and telling
him everything's going to be okay. He's a champ and he's got this."
Tiger felt plenty of love from his family and fans. In a Twitter post
following the accident and surgery, he wrote:
"It is hard to explain how touching today was when I turned on the TV and saw all the red
shirts. To every golfer and every fan, you are truly helping me get through this tough time."
It seems that Tiger had plenty of support from everyone, including Herman.
"It's been some long days. Some very, very,
very long days. Tough ones. And I've had some great people around me. Unbelievable."
A lot has happened in the world since Tiger and Herman started dating, but over the years,
it seems she's earned the love and respect of everyone in the Woods clan. She's got the
Tiger cubs' approval, according to an inside source, who told People that Woods' children,
Charlie and Sam, are okay with the relationship. Tiger's ex-wife, Elin Nordegren, the mother of
the golfer's two kids, reportedly approves of Herman, too. A source told the outlet:
"Elin has a friendly relationship with Erica. Tiger has come a long
way and Elin acknowledges that. She is happy that he is dating Erica."
Herman also seems to be in the good graces of Tiger's mom,
Kultida Woods. The two have been spotted at multiple public outings. When the pro
golfer was inducted at the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2022, his daughter Sam
introduced Tiger onstage and confirmed her close relationship with her family, including Herman.
At the event, Sam spoke about her dad's 2021 car crash and
shared that they will always be a unit no matter what, adding,
"Through thick and thin, you, Charlie, Erica,
[grandmother Kultida] and I will always be a team."
Anyone who'd been paying attention to this couple's relationship wouldn't have been
surprised by Herman's support during Tiger's recovery. By all appearances,
Erica Herman is Tiger Woods' cheerleader both on and off the course. Ever since she
was first spotted at the 2017 Presidents Cup, Herman has been at his side: in 2018,
following Tiger's Tour Championship win, his first victory in five years, Herman ran up to
the pro golfer with a hug and kiss, as seen in a video clip published by the PGA Tour.
"Mmmm, love you." "I love you."
She was also there — along with Tiger's kids and mom — to celebrate his win at
the 2019 Masters Tournament. That same year, they traveled together for the 2019
Presidents Cup. After Tiger's team won, he approached the sidelines and hugged Herman,
who was so overjoyed that she wrapped her legs around him.
It was certainly a rare display of affection for the pair, who often keep their romance private.
Tiger Woods and Erica Herman took their relationship to the next level when they
decided to move in together. A source told People in 2021 that the two live in a mansion
on the exclusive Jupiter Island in Florida. While they keep their home life under wraps,
it seems like the two are living in the lap of luxury.
According to The U.S. Sun, the property has two sections — an over 3,000-square-foot
home and an over 6,000-square-foot multi-purpose building featuring a gym,
wine cellar, and media room. An enclosed walkway connects the two buildings. The
mansion was built in 2010 following Tiger's divorce from Elin Nordegren.
Jupiter isn't far from Herman's childhood home. Tiger's Florida-born girlfriend
grew up nearby in Boynton Beach, a source told The Palm Beach Post.
Are they, or aren't they? That's the question behind the rumors swirling
that Erica Herman and Tiger Woods are engaged. A source told OK! magazine in
an article published in March 2022 that the couple is already engaged, saying:
"He surprised her by popping the question during a physio appointment and even
managed to get down on one knee. He had the ring ready and everything."
According to the source, she said yes.
An insider similarly told the National Enquirer that Tiger is ready to tie the
knot with Herman. The couple has yet to confirm whether or not the rumors are actually true.