Woods weds Swedish fiancee in Barbados
Associated Press
SANDY LANE BEACH, Barbados — A rainbow arching over their yacht greeted newlyweds Tiger Woods and Swedish bride Elin Nordegren yesterday, a day after the couple married in a lavish sunset ceremony that reportedly cost $1.5 million.
Gregory Bull • Associated Press
The couple came ashore after apparently spending their wedding night aboard the vessel. They stayed largely out of public view after the ceremony, which was held in a white-netted pagoda decorated with red roses.
Newlyweds Tiger Woods, left, and Elin Nordegren, second from right, get a ride to their yacht anchored off Barbados.
"Elin and Tiger want to keep this as a family thing," the bride's father, Thomas Nordegren, told The Associated Press.
As the couple came ashore, the California-born golfer was in swimming trunks and carrying a wet suit. The two were accompanied by the bride's identical twin, Josefin. Both women wore shorts and tank tops.
Talk show host Oprah Winfrey and former NBA stars Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley were among more than 120 guests seen by an Associated Press reporter overlooking the clubhouse of the Sandy Lane resort and golf course.
Nordegren, 24, met Woods three years ago while she was the nanny to the children of Swedish golfer Jesper Parnevik.
At the ceremony, Nordegren wore an off-white sleeveless gown, according to the witnesses, while Woods, 28, wore a beige suit.
The rock group Hootie and the Blowfish performed under a tent at the "19th hole," a garden area of the Green Monkey golf course, witnesses said. Then fireworks lit up the night sky along Barbados' west coast.
Returning to Kaua'i?
Tiger Woods hasn't played the PGA Grand Slam the past two years because he hasn't won a major, but he might have a chance to go back this year.
U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen said he might not be able to play because his wife is expecting their second child Nov. 25.
The Grand Slam was moved up one week to Nov. 23 and 24 at Po'ipu Bay at Kaua'i.
The first alternate is Ernie Els, but the Big Easy already said he would not play. Next in line is Woods.
