Tiger Woods Wins NDA Dispute With Ex-Girlfriend Erica Herman

Tiger Woods has come out on top in the ongoing lawsuit filed against him by his ex-girlfriend, Erica Herman.

The pro golfer and his ex moved from love to legal action after the latter filed a suit in October 2022, alleging that her former lover had tricked her into leaving his home after they broke up earlier in the same year.

She also filed separate documents earlier this year attempting to quash a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that Woods made her sign when the pair began their relationship in 2017. Although she used the Speak Out Act to defend her legal actions, a Florida judge has now ruled that the former restaurant owner must stick by the abovementioned agreement. 

Wednesday did not turn out as Herman expected as Circuit Judge Elizabeth Metzger rejected her attempt to retract the 2017 agreement by claiming that Woods had committed sexual harassment against her, in an 11-page opinion. While calling the restauranteur's allegations "vague and threadbare," Metzger wrote:

"Herman has had the opportunity (to) provide factual specificity for any claim relating to sexual assault or sexual harassment, however, she has not done so."

The judge stated that the evidence exhibited that an NDA was negotiated between the former couple even though Herman's attorney, Benjamin Hodas, had started questioning whether his client signed it. With this ruling, BBC News noted that the former manager of one of the athlete's restaurants had to settle the $30m case out of the public with private out-of-court arbitration.

Woods' ex had formerly alleged that she was locked out of the Hobe Sound, Florida home she shared with him after she was tricked into packing her bags for a supposed holiday. She declared via her suit that the 2019 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient promised that she could live at the property for 11 years.

Even though the brunette is seeking payment for the cost of staying in a similar luxury home within the area for six years, her former beau has denied that they had any tenancy agreement.

The father-of-two even dismissed her suit, describing it as an "abuse of the judicial process." The Blast shared that he divulged that the Santaluces High School alum's had no right to use the Federal Speak Out Act in her second filing because no sexual assault occurred.

Additionally, he hinted at Herman being a liar since she ticked "NO" in response to the query that reads, "Does this case involve allegations of sexual abuse" with regard to her $30 million lawsuit. He believed that was enough reason for the court to throw the suit out, allowing the plaintiff to partake in a private mediation as their signed NDA dictated.

News of Herman filing a new lawsuit accusing Woods of sexually harassing her broke earlier this month, with The Blast reporting that her attorney asserted in the accompanying docs:

"Tiger Woods, the internationally renowned athlete and one of the most powerful figures in global sports, decided to pursue a sexual relationship with his employee, then – according to him – forced her to sign an NDA about it or else be fired from her job."

The papers alleged that the 15-time Major champion tricking Herman out of their shared home occurred when he became "dissatisfied" with their "sexual relationship." In fact, Hodas said that after the ESPY Awards winner deceived his client into "leaving her home, locked her out, took her cash, pets, and personal possessions," he attempted "to strong-arm her into signing a different NDA."

Woods was then accused of trying to "deny" the Palm Beach State College alum "access to the courts and put this case into secret arbitration." It is worth noting that things have not always been this unpleasant between the estranged lovebirds.

Herman had stuck with the once-divorced athlete after he sustained several injuries in a severe 2021 accident, helping him through the months of physical therapy and rehabilitation that he needed to get better.

They first met when she worked for him in 2016 and began dating in 2017. They appeared together at numerous golf events throughout their relationship, with the ex-Blue Martini lounge VIP manager hanging onto her man's hand.