Elin Nordegren was born on January 1, 1980, in Stockholm, Sweden, alongside her twin sister, Josefin Nordegren. Their parents were thoughtful in fostering their individuality, dressing them differently and enrolling them in separate classes. The family also included an older brother, and they often embarked on memorable road trips across Europe. But tragedy struck when Elin was just seven years old, as her parents divorced. Despite the separation, it was an amicable split, with joint custody arrangements. However, her father relocated to Germany.
As a teenager, Elin dabbled in modeling. But she never truly identified as a model. In an interview with People magazine, she confessed, “I didn’t intend to pursue it further. While it was nice to be called a model, I didn’t think a handful of teen photoshoots would define me as one.” In addition to her brief modeling stints, she worked as a nanny for the family of Swedish golfer Jesper Parnevik. It was Parnevik who introduced her to his colleague, Tiger Woods, in 2001. The connection was instantaneous, and Woods wasted no time in winning her over. In 2004, they tied the knot in Barbados, and a few years later, their family grew with the addition of a daughter and a son.
