 |
| Chris Cline and Elin Nordegren (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg/Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | | | | |
The former Mrs.
Tiger Woods,
33, is reportedly dating billionaire coal magnate Chris Cline, a
neighbor in her upscale North Palm Beach, Florida, community called
Seminole Landing.
"Elin was introduced to Chris by a local friend because they seem to have a lot in common," a source told
People,
noting that they've been dating casually and non-exclusively since the
holidays. "They both have children, like to keep their personal lives
quiet, believe in philanthropy, and enjoy leisure outdoor activity."
Just who is this guy? Here are five facts about Cline:
He's a college dropout, just like Woods. The
55-year-old Cline attended Marshall University in his home state of West
Virginia, but he left before graduating to join the same industry that
his grandfather and father had been in before him. Cline founded the
thriving company Foresight Energy, and his career was praised by the
local
Herald-Dispatch newspaper in 2011 as "one of the industry's great success stories." Not exactly a walking ad for higher education, is he?
[Related:
Photos of Elin Nordegren's Florida Mansion]
It's safe to say that he's not after Elin for her money. Cline is one of the richest people in the country, according to
Forbes.
The magazine ranked him as #377 on its latest list of American
billionaires and, moreover, estimates his net worth at $1.2 billion --
that's with a
b. Cline was even one of the targets of an
attempted extortion plot, along with other bigwigs like movie producer
Harvey Weinstein, last year. Of course, money is not a concern for
Nordegren, especially since her divorce settlement from Woods was
estimated at $100 million following his sex scandal.
He's a family guy. Cline has been married twice,
with the first marriage ending when his wife died of breast cancer and
the second ending in divorce. He has two sons and two daughters, so
he'll understand the pressures of parenthood that Nordegren faces as she
raises her children with Tiger, 5-year-old daughter Sam and 4-year-old
son Charlie. As Cline revealed in a
Bloomberg profile in 2010, he's not against falling in love again. "I just haven't had time to look for a wife," he explained.
[Related:
Tiger Woods and Girlfriend Lindsey Vonn Bond With Each Other's Families]
His digs are even more impressive than you might expect. His
home near Nordegren's is a 34,400-square-foot mansion on the ocean --
and that's not all. According to Bloomberg, he spends his time in
Beckley, West Virginia, on a 150-acre-estate, featuring a go-kart track,
a lake, and a stable of horses, goats, and llamas, referred to as a
playground for his kids. Oh, and then there's his 164-foot-long yacht,
big enough for 12, called Mine Games, which Cline rents out for cruises
to the Caribbean and Mediterranean. The luxury boat features five
staterooms, each with its own bathroom and plasma TV; two dining rooms; a
sun deck with a 72-inch flat-screen TV so that guests can watch movies
under the stars; and a whirlpool spa.
He remembers his roots. He donated $5 million to
West Virginia University and another $5 million to his former college
back in 2011. In a humble statement issued after the Marshall donation,
he said, "I attended Marshall University, have been fortunate to have
lived and employed people in West Virginia, and owe the state of West
Virginia and its people for much of my success," he said. "I wanted to
give something back that will be beneficial to the people of the state."
Cline certainly
sounds like relationship material for Nordegren, who ended her romance with investor Jamie Dingman last May.
http://omg.yahoo.com/blogs/celeb-news/tiger-meet-elin-nordegren-billionaire-boyfriend-230427943.html
Do you think Cline and Nordegren are a good match?