Tiger Woods has long been the subject of admiration from fans and fellow athletes, while some women been drawn to his charisma and dominance on the golf course.
But the latest revelation comes from a secret corner of British royalty. According to a new biography by royal historian Andrew Lownie, the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, once pursued Woods romantically, calling him “gorgeous.”
The book titled ‘The Rise and Fall of the House of York’ also reveals Ferguson once flew 1,500 miles to meet Woods in 1997.
Duchess of York, Sarah, flew 1500 miles to meet Tiger Woods during his Byron Nelson win back in 1997. (Image Collage | Credits: Getty Images)
Duchess of York, Sarah, flew 1500 miles to meet Tiger Woods during his Byron Nelson win back in 1997. (Image Collage | Credits: Getty Images)
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‘The Rise and Fall of the House of York’ is set to release on Aug.14 and promises “extraordinary revelations” about Prince Andrew and his former wife.
Among them is Ferguson’s post-divorce romantic wish list, which reportedly included John F. Kennedy Jr., Kevin Costner, George Clooney and Woods among others.
In extracts serialized by the Daily Mail, Lownie writes, “On a trip to New York, Fergie asked her staff to find out if John F. Kennedy Jr… was in town and, discovering where he was, she invited him for drinks or dinner at her hotel, which he accepted.”
That meeting never happened. But her encounter with Woods did.
The Duchess was photographed hugging the then-21-year-old golfer in 1997, after his win at the Byron Nelson Classic in Texas, one of his early PGA Tour victories.
According to reports, since that day, they have maintained their friendship.
The Duchess of York, Sarah, hugging Tiger Woods after his win at the Byron Nelson tournament in Texas in 1997. (Image Credit: Blake Sell/Reuters)
The Duchess of York, Sarah, hugging Tiger Woods after his win at the Byron Nelson tournament in Texas in 1997. (Image Credit: Blake Sell/Reuters)
One of the most recent instances remains Woods’ 2019 Masters comeback, when Ferguson posted a heartwarming message on Instagram.
“Never have I been more proud of @tigerwoods. Good days and bad days, Tiger’s heart is loyal, steadfast, and he is an amazing friend,” she typed as quoted. The post was later removed from her Instagram profile.
According to Lownie, the Duchess confided in Piers Morgan about her interest in Woods, saying she would “follow him around the (golf) course for a bit and see how I get on.”
Morgan reportedly replied, “Poor old Tiger isn’t going to know what’s hit him.”
But that’s not all. Apart from Woods, the book also claims Ferguson “plagued” Kevin Costner with “raunchy phone calls” and had romantic interest in George Clooney.
At the time, she was navigating a turbulent post-divorce chapter, having separated from Prince Andrew in 1992 amid tabloid scandals, including the infamous St. Tropez photo incident.
Per Britain’s Daily Mirror, in August 1992, Ferguson was photographed during a holiday in St. Tropez with American businessman John Bryan.
The images, captured with a telephoto lens, showed Bryan kissing and ‘sucking’ Ferguson’s toes by the pool, sparking a royal scandal that dominated headlines.
Despite that, Ferguson remained close to Prince Andrew. The two still share a residence at Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park and have appeared together publicly in recent months.
As for Woods, his romantic life is once again in the spotlight. The 15-time major winner confirmed earlier this year that he is dating Vanessa Trump, the ex-wife of Donald Trump Jr.
Their relationship became public in March, when Woods tweeted, “Love is in the air and life is better with you by my side! We look forward to our journey through life together.”
Recently, the couple was also rumored to take their relationship forward with wedding whispers, but sources close to the lovebirds suggest they’re content without rushing to the altar.
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