Golf | Magazine owes Woods' wife money, apology

DUBLIN, Ireland — The wife of top-ranked Tiger Woods won $183,250 and an apology Friday from an Irish magazine that published an abusive article and a faked nude photo of her.

Elin Nordegren Woods received the money as part of a settlement of a libel action brought against The Dubliner magazine in November 2006. The former swimsuit model said the money would be donated to cancer-support charities in memory of Heather Clarke, the late wife of British golfer Darren Clarke.

Trevor White, publisher of The Dubliner, conceded the article — published in September 2006 when Ireland was hosting the Ryder Cup — "was cheap, tasteless, and deliberately offensive. It was also completely untrue."

The article angered Woods during the first day of competition, which the United States lost to Europe.

The article's headline described the U.S. golfers' wives as "Ryder Cup filth."

The story claimed Woods' wife "can be found in a variety of sweaty poses on porn sites across the Web." It also insulted the wives of golfers Chad Campbell, David Toms and Jim Furyk, who did not sue.

"The photograph was not of Ms. Nordegren Woods," White said.

As part of the settlement accepted by a Dublin court, The Dubliner must publish its lengthy apology in a variety of venues, including in its next issue.

If the magazine fails to meet the conditions, the award will be increased to $366,500.

Notes

• Woody Austin and Mark Calcavecchia shot an 8-under-par 64 in modified alternate-shot play for a share of the first-round lead with Fred Funk and Jeff Sluman in the Merrill Lynch Shootout in Naples, Fla. Fred Couples of Seattle and John Daly (70) are last in the 12-team event.

• Rory Sabbatini (67) of South Africa is at 14-under 202 and leads five players by a stroke after three rounds in the Australian PGA in Coolum. American Jason Gore (64) is tied for second.

• South Africa's Omar Sandys shot his second consecutive 4-under 68 to lead England's Lee Slattery (65) by two strokes after the second round of the Alfred Dunhill Championship in Malelane, South Africa.

• Asia built a 9-½-2-½ lead over the International team in the Lexus Cup, a women's event in Perth, Australia.

• AT&T is dropping sponsorship of the PGA Tour's Atlanta-area event after next year.