She worked as a model and a nanny before meeting Woods
While Nordegren worked as a swimsuit model in her teens and later as a nanny in her early 20s, she never intended to pursue it as a career.
“I did some modeling when I was younger. I was never very successful at it, and I didn’t intend to pursue it. It’s flattering to be called a model, but I don’t think a few shoots in my teenage years make me a model,” she told PEOPLE in 2010.
Nordegren also took on the role of a nanny, spending a year caring for the children of Swedish golfer Jesper Parnevik. Originally planning to further her Spanish studies in Barcelona, her plans changed after she met the Parneviks and accompanied them to the U.S.
“My plan was to return to Sweden after a year and begin my psychology studies,” she said. “‘Swimsuit model and nanny’ doesn’t define me today, but they were roles I took on. Both experiences were valuable.”
It was actually Parnevik who introduced Nordegren to her future husband, Tiger Woods, although the professional golfer later expressed regret about facilitating their meeting.
She wasn’t interested in Woods at first
Woods was intrigued by Nordegren because she had no interest in dating him at all — she only went on a single date with him to get him to stop bothering her, according to PEOPLE reporter Steve Helling in the biography “Tiger: The Real Story.” At the time, Nordegren actually had a boyfriend back in Sweden.
On their second date, Nordegren started to realize that she actually liked Woods, despite him not being her usual type.
“In that moment, Elin didn’t feel like she was with a celebrity; she felt like she was with a nice, normal guy,” Helling wrote. “She was surprised at how quickly she was falling for him.”