Tiger Woods' mother-in-law was taken to hospital from the golfer's home today in the latest personal drama to hit the troubled star.
According to local station WESH-TV, an emergency call was made to firefighters in Orange County, Florida, at 2.36am local time (7.36am GMT).
Video from the hospital showed a middle-age woman being removed from an ambulance on a stretcher and taken through an emergency entrance at the Health Central Hospital in Ocoee. According to WESH, the woman initially refused transport when medics arrived. But she was later listed as an advanced life support patient.
"Barbro Holmberg, mother of Elin Woods, was admitted to Health Central Hospital with stomach pain," said spokesman Dan Yates. "She's in stable condition and is undergoing current evaluation still.”
Ms Nordegren was later seen entering the hospital. It has been reported by US gossip websites that she moved out of the family home with their two children following the allegations of affairs.
Media scrutiny of the golfer’s private life has been intense since he crashed his car into a fire hydrant and tree in the early hours of November 27th. The incident left the 33-year-old bloodied and dazed, and raised questions over the circumstances leading up to the accident.
It has been speculated that reports of an affair with New York nightclub hostess Rachel Uchitel led to a confrontation with his wife shortly before he got into his SUV that morning.
Since the crash, a number of other women have come forward with claims of affairs with the golfer.
One, cocktail waitress Jaimee Grubbs, went as far as releasing a phone message reported to be from Woods asking her to cover up over the alleged affair. Grubbs told US Weeklythat she conducted a lengthy relationship with Woods shortly after the 2007 Masters - two months before Woods' wife gave birth to their first child.
Woods has not commented directly on the allegations.
But last week he apologised for letting his family down and said he was dealing with his “behaviour and personal failings”. A statement posted on his website referred to “personal sins” and “transgressions”.
“I am not without fault and I am far short of perfect,” it added.
Companies whose endorsements have helped make Woods perhaps the world's richest athlete, with a fortune estimated at $1 billion, have said they are standing by him.
The top draw on the PGA tour, Woods is chasing Jack Nicklaus' record for victories in major tournaments and the unofficial title of best golfer ever. He has won 71 times on the tour in a glittering career that includes 14 major wins.
Agencies