Tiger Woods' wife settles Dubliner libel case

The wife of golfer Tiger Woods has settled her libel action against The Dubliner magazine.

The magazine must pay Elin Nordegren Woods €125,000.

Ms Nordegren Woods is donating all the money to cancer support charities in memory of Irish golfer Darren Clarke's late wife, Heather, who died from breast cancer

Ms Nordegren Woods began legal proceedings against the magazine after it published an article entitled 'Ryder Cup Filth for Dublin?' during the Ryder Cup in September 2006.

The Dubliner magazine apologised to Ms Nordegren Woods in the High Court this afternoon, and admitted the article was cheap, tasteless and deliberately offensive.

In a statement, Ms Nordegren Woods said the regrettable episode in no way detracted from the great love of Ireland that she and Tiger shared.

In its apology, read to the court by senior counsel, Eoin McCullough, the magazine said the article was completely untrue.  It said it was accompanied by a nude photograph of a woman falsely identified as being Elin Nordegren Woods and falsely stated that other such photographs were to be found on internet porn sites.

It said the photograph was not of Elin Nordegren Woods and she had never posed or been photographed nude.

The magazine said the story and photograph generated publicity which was profoundly hurtful to Ms Woods. The magazine said it was particularly shameful that it was published at a time when she, like thousands of others, was a guest in this country and when international media attention was focused on the event.

The Dubliner said there is and was no excuse for the story and it was a cheap vulgar lie. It said rudimentary checks should have meant it was not written and basic decency ought to have prevented it being published.

The magazine apologised unreservedly, completely and unequivocally to Ms Nordegren Woods . It said should not have discussed her at all and would not do so again.

Trevor White, publisher of The Dubliner, said in a statement that he was 'delighted at the outcome. It's a huge relief to everyone at the magazine.'