“I Can’t Believe…”: Tiger Woods Caught Lindsey Vonn by Surprise With an Extravagant Romantic Gesture at Her 63rd World Cup Victory

American alpine skiing legend Lindsey Vonn became the most decorated woman in the sport with 82 World Cup victories, four overall titles, and 20 Crystal Globe wins. She retired in 2019, just four wins shy of her aim to match Ingemar Stenmark’s record of 86, as her numerous injuries caught up with her.

In her almost three decades in the public eye, Vonn entered some high-profile relationships. She dated golfing legend Tiger Woods for almost three years before they split in 2015. And in that duration, they had some heartwarming power couple moments.

Tiger Woods surprised Lindsey Vonn in Italy

In December 2014, Lindsey Vonn returned to competition after taking almost two years off competing because of serious knee injuries. A month later, she won her 63rd World Cup event at the Olympia delle Tofane super-G event in Italy. With this, Vonn smashed Austrian Annemarie Moser-Pröll’s 35-year-old record of 62 World Cup wins.

However, the real surprise waited for the skiing champion in the finish area, where her then-boyfriend Tiger Woods waited to congratulate her on the victory. The golfer was supposed to be practicing for his return to competition at the Phoenix Open. Instead, he decided to be there for his girlfriend on her big day.

They shared an emotional moment, Vonn exclaiming, “No way!” when she saw her boyfriend waiting to congratulate her. The skier told the Associated Press, “I didn’t think this could get any better than yesterday with my entire family here, but now with Tiger here, this is unbelievable. I said, ‘I can’t believe you came.’ And he said, ‘I told you.’” 

READ MORE: “I Was a Pretty Big Nerd”: Global Skiing Icon Lindsey Vonn Once Shared Snaps of Her Uninteresting, Unsocial Childhood

Their relationship ended on amicable terms

Just a few months after this incident, Lindsey Vonn and Tiger Woods announced their split through social media. The breakup came as a surprise for the fans. A couple of weeks prior, their relationship seemed to be progressing smoothly. Vonn had told People magazine she felt privileged to spend time with Woods’ family and get along with his kids.

On Facebook, the skiing legend revealed their breakup through a short and sweet message. She wrote, “Unfortunately, we both lead incredibly hectic lives that force us to spend a majority of our time apart. I will always admire and respect Tiger. He and his beautiful family will always hold a special place in my heart.”

Woods echoed her sentiments, posting his farewell message on his website, where he shared his admiration and gratitude toward the skier. “I have great admiration, respect, and love for Lindsey, and I’ll always cherish our time together. She has been amazing with Sam and Charlie and my entire family.” Even after their separation, the two have maintained a good relationship, supporting each other’s victories and success.

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