Rachel Uchitel, the woman whose affair with golfing icon Tiger Woods precipitated his sensational $100 million divorce, is set to marry millionaire CEO Dan Donovan this Wednesday in Palm Beach, Florida. The location of the lavish, three-day New Year celebration is notably close to the upmarket Jupiter area where Woods now resides with his new girlfriend, Vanessa Trump.
The Scandal That Rocked The Sporting World
The connection between Uchitel and Woods dates back to 2009, when their extramarital affair was exposed, ultimately unravelling Woods' marriage to Swedish model Elin Nordegren. The scandal erupted after Uchitel was photographed checking into the same hotel as Woods during the Australian Masters, with the images published by the National Enquirer on 25 November 2009.
Initially, Uchitel denied the relationship to Nordegren. However, a suspicious Nordegren investigated Woods' phone, discovering contact with another woman, Jaimee Grubbs, and a damning text message to Uchitel that read: 'You are the only one I've ever loved.' A confrontation led to Woods fleeing the family home, resulting in his now-infamous car crash into a fire hydrant and a tree.
Following a leaked voicemail published by US Weekly, more than a dozen other women came forward. Woods later admitted to cheating on his wife with over 120 women. The couple, married for six years, finalised their divorce in 2010.
A New Chapter in the Sunshine State
Uchitel's wedding to business mogul Dan Donovan, whom she met on the dating app Bumble, marks a fresh start. She relocated to Palm Beach in December 2022 for a 'second chance,' purchasing a $2.59 million home. In an interview with the Daily Mail, she described Donovan as a 'wonderful' and 'successful' alpha male, stating she felt 'so lucky' to have found her 'happily ever after.'
The wedding festivities, which Uchitel has been previewing on Instagram, are taking place at several luxurious Palm Beach venues. Intriguingly, the area is a nexus for the key figures in the old scandal: Woods and Vanessa Trump live nearby in Jupiter, while Elin Nordegren also resides in Palm Beach County. Both Woods and Nordegren's son, Charlie, and Vanessa Trump's daughter, Kai, attend the prestigious Benjamin School in North Palm Beach.
Legacy of a Public Scandal
In a 2024 interview, Uchitel confessed that the fallout from the affair would follow her to the 'grave,' damaging her ability to trust and profoundly affecting her relationships. She maintains a small, private world as a result.
Uchitel's personal history includes tragedy and previous marriages; she was engaged to James Andrew O'Grady, who died in the September 11 terrorist attacks, and was later married to Wall Street trader Steven Ehrenkranz and former football player Matt Hahn.
Meanwhile, Tiger Woods appears to have moved on, confirming his relationship with Vanessa Trump earlier this year. Trump, the ex-wife of Donald Trump Jr., shares two children with her former husband. The proximity of all parties in one affluent Florida enclave adds a compelling layer to this ongoing story of scandal, recovery, and new beginnings.
