Huge win for Tiger Woods as judge labels Erica's allegations "vague, threadbare"

It's the week of a major, and although Tiger Woods is not teeing it up at the PGA Championship he still finds himself making headlines. 

That is because late on 17 May a Florida judge ruled in his favour in his battle with his ex-girlfriend Erica Herman. 

The judge, Elizabeth Metzger, previously hinted she would side with Woods. 

Her ruling means that Herman must abide by a nondisclosure agreement she penned with the golf superstar and settle the dispute with Woods through arbitration, instead of through the courts. 

She is suing the 15-time major champion for millions and wanted to quash the NDA that was signed in 2017 by saying that Woods had committed sexual harassment against her. 

Related: Tiger claims he offered Erica hotel stay after split

In an 11-page ruling, the judge called Herman's allegations "vague and threadbare". 

Herman's attorneys did not dispute that an NDA was signed but questioned the date it was penned. It was also suggested that her signature may have been forged. 

Woods' attorneys have accused Herman of being 'jilted' and claimed no sexual harassment ever took place. 

The judge stated that if Herman had denied signing the agreement then she would have ordered a separate hearing on that issue. 

Now that is for an arbitration panel to decide. 

Herman, who is 39 years old, sued both Woods and the trust that owns his Florida mansion valued at $54m, seeking $30m in damages. 

She alleges that she was forced out of the property 'through trickery' with Woods reportedly using 'the oldest trick in the book'. 

| Attorneys representing Tiger Woods have denied that he and his ex-girlfriend Erica Herman had a deal that allowed her to share his Florida home. pic.twitter.com/ZvBLsKwyQu

— GolfMagic (@GolfMagic) March 11, 2023

Herman was reportedly told to pack a bag for a short vacation, only to be told Woods had dumped her when they got to the airport. 

She claims she had an oral agreement that she could continue living at the property for a certain period of time in the event they split up. 

Herman previously worked as a manager at Woods' restaurant - The Woods Jupiter - and alleges that she was threatened with dismissal if she didn't sign an NDA once the couple started dating. 

Herman says in her court filings that their romantic relationship began in 2015 and that in late 2016 she moved into Woods' mansion. 

She claimed that in 2017 Woods made the verbal promise she could live there for 11 years.

Herman's attorneys have also claimed she was pressured to quit her job in 2020 so she could spend more time taking care of him and his children Charlie and Samantha. 

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