It has been over a decade since Tiger Woods‘ 2009 infidelity scandal came out. However, before it broke out, he had a 14-month-long affair with Mindy Lawton in 2006.

Apr 14, 2024; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Tiger Woods walks the No. 7 green during the final round of the Masters Tournament. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Network

The golfer ended up amassing a total of $9,941,563 during that year’s PGA Tour season, yet he paid only 15 percent of that amount to his fling’s restaurant with his black American Express card. And, even after her coworkers voiced similar complaints to her, the restaurant hostess showed no concern for the situation.

In an article published on vanityfair.com, Lawton also revealed how Woods and his former wife used to visit Perkins Restaurant & Bakery for breakfast. That was the same place where Lawton first met the golfer and felt he “was in a loveless relationship with his wife.” 

As the restaurant hostess continued her story, she recalled Woods making a phone call at the hostess counter. When Lawton asked who the caller was, the golfer revealed himself before asking her out at Blue Martini.

“My mouth fell open and I was like, Wow!” She was shocked and excited, “I was like, ‘Sure!’ I was trying to control my excitement.”

Alongside her sister Bobbi, Mindy went to Blue Martini and as the course of events followed, she began an illicit affair with Tiger Woods.

Over time, Lawton was convinced that Woods’ marriage with his wife Elin Nordegren would be soon over. As she mentioned, her feelings were “growing strong for him.” Even though her co-workers complained to her about the golfer’s poor tipping habits, she used to brush off those conversations.

Although Lawton felt that her relationship was done after Woods welcomed his first child, the affair kept going. It was only after the 2009 infidelity scandal after the golfer was involved in a car crash near his home, that multiple women came out claiming to have illicit affairs with the golf legend. Many of them had similar feelings to Lawton, thinking that their relationship with the golfer was serious. But Woods had to eventually publish an apology for all of it.

How did Tiger Woods’ relationship with Mindy Lawton end?

Ahead of a tournament in 2007, Woods called Lawton to their usual office at his home. However, after his security card failed to open the gate, the golfer asked her to follow his Escalade to a parking lot near his house. Lawton was on her period, and after the golfer insisted she pulled that out and threw it nearby.

Later on, Lawton got to know that The National Enquirer had picked up the tampon from the parking lot. She claimed that the tabloid followed her and Woods for over a year. However, a spokesperson denied the claims later when the scandal came out. But when her brother-in-law told her that people from the tabloid asked him about Lawton and Woods’ relationship, she immediately texted the golfer.

Woods asked her to contact his agent Mark Steinberg, who was IMG Worldwide’s managing director for golf. He told her not to worry and said, “We’ll take care of it.”

Some publications claimed that Woods’ alleged affair with Lawton was used as leverage against his team of advisors. It was also claimed that the deal proposed to The National Enquirer was that the golfer would give an interview to their sister publication Men’s Fitness. But Woods had a seven-figure deal with Golf Digest, and he was featured in a 12-page Men’s Fitness interview in the August 2007 issue.

However, a spokesperson from The National Enquirer denied these claims of taking Woods’ exclusive interview in exchange for his affair story with Lawton. Whatever the settlement was, the golfer’s affair with the Perkins Restaurant & Bakery hostess did not come out.

It has been over a decade since the scandal, and Tiger Woods is no longer the same guy. He leads a private life and is more focused on his health. He might next be seen playing at the 2024 PGA Championship which will be his next attempt towards achieving his 16th major title.