Tiger Woods and his girlfriend Erica Herman celebrate after the final round of the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club on September 23, 2018, in Atlanta, Georgia

Stan Badz/PGA TOUR

When Tiger Woods takes to the golf course, fans and spectators are glued to his every step and stroke. So when the legendary golfer showed up to the President’s Cup in September 2017 with a new woman, Erica Herman, by his side, the golf world immediately took notice.

Since that first appearance, Herman became a constant at the course whenever Woods was competing, though the couple otherwise remained very private over the years (a notable difference from Woods’ previous relationship with Lindsey Vonn and his very public marriage and divorce from Elin Nordegren). They were rarely seen out in public at non-golf events, but they did attend the 2022 US Open together to support Serena Williams from the stands. Herman has no social media presence either and only appeared on Woods’ Instagram three times since October 2017.

And while a February 2021 car accident left Woods’ golf career in limbo, the iconic golfer said he was living “a great life” off the course with Herman and his two 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren, son Charlie and daughter Sam. In June 2022, Forbes announced that Woods’ estimated net worth had climbed to $1 billion, making him one of only three billionaire athletes along with LeBron James and Michael Jordan.

However, in March 2023, it was revealed that the pair had split when Herman filed a lawsuit against Woods, asking to be removed from a non-disclosure agreement she signed in August 2017. Herman cited the Speak Out Act, which allows NDAs to be nullified in cases of 𝓈ℯ𝓍ual assault or harassment.

So who is Woods’ ex-girlfriend? From her restaurant beginnings to her lawsuit against the golfer, here’s everything to know about Erica Herman.

They were together for five years

Tiger Woods and Erica Hernan at Dodgers Game

Tiger Woods Instagram

Woods and Herman first stepped out as a couple in September 2017, when she attended the President’s Cup with Woods while wearing a “player spouse” credential — which is generally reserved for the spouses or significant others of the event’s players and captains. In addition to joining Woods on the course during the tournament, Herman was spotted attending the opening ceremonies with the U.S. team’s wives and girlfriends, according to Golf.com.

One month later, the couple made things Instagram official when Woods shared a photo of the two at Dodger Stadium for a World Series game. The photo posted on the golfer’s Instagram showed Woods and Herman sporting matching Dodgers jerseys, though Woods did not name or tag his significant other in the post.

“No one has signed any paperwork,” a friend of Woods told PEOPLE in 2018 about the couple. “It’s not like they’re pledging their lives to each other. But she’s really nice and Tiger likes her.”

“Tiger doesn’t like to be alone,” the friend added. “But he doesn’t like to settle. Not anymore. So when he’s with someone, he really needs to be into her.”

Herman later moved into Woods’ Jupiter, Florida mansion. “They live together at his house now,” a source close to the golfer told PEOPLE in December 2021.

She’s a native of Florida

Tiger Woods of the United States poses with girlfriend Erica Herman before the Ryder Cup gala dinner at the Palace of Versailles ahead of the 2018 Ryder Cup on September 26, 2018 in Versailles, France

Richard Heathcote/Getty

Living with Woods isn’t what drew Herman to Florida, though — she’s lived in the Sunshine State since 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥hood. According to the Palm Beach Post, Herman grew up in Palm Beach County, attending Santaluces High School in the early 2000s, where she was a member of the school’s cheerleading team.

Herman stayed in her home state for college as well, attending both Palm Beach State College and the University of Central Florida. She graduated from UCF in May 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in legal studies, as Heather Smith, assistant director of media relations at UCF, told the Palm Beach Post.

She previously worked in the restaurant industry

Tiger Woods of the U.S. Team and Erica Herman look on during Saturday four-ball matches of the Presidents Cup at Liberty National Golf Club on September 30, 2017 in Jersey City, New Jersey. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Rob Carr/Getty

Though Herman’s degree is in legal studies, the majority of her career was spent in the restaurant industry. While attending UCF in Orlando, Herman first worked as a bartender and was eventually named VIP manager at the Blue Martini lounge, her former co-worker told Page Six. 

According to court records, in 2010 Herman also had ambitions to open a string of nightclubs in Florida with two business partners and a local investor — an endeavor that ultimately failed. She eventually became the general manager of Tiger Woods’ flagship restaurant The Woods Jupiter, which opened at Florida’s Harbourside Place in August 2015. It was there that Herman began working directly with Woods, former restaurant employee Luke Copeland told Page Six.

She supported Woods’ golf career

Tiger Woods of the United States team celebrates with girlfriend Erica Herman after defeating Abraham Ancer of Mexico and the International team 3&2 during Sunday Singles matches on day four of the 2019 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne Golf Course on December 15, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia

Warren Little/Getty

Since her first appearance with Woods at the 2017 President’s Cup, Herman became a mainstay on the golf course when Woods was competing.

When Woods won the 2018 Tour Championship — his first victory in five years and 80th PGA title — Herman was waiting at the 18th hole to greet him with a celebratory hug and kiss. “Love you,” Woods was heard saying to Herman as she wrapped her arms around him.

In 2019, when Woods won the Masters, Herman was one of the first to congratulate him — along with his kids and mother — as he claimed his fifth green jacket. Later that same year, when Woods led his team to a President’s Cup victory, he held back tears as Herman ran to embrace him following the win. The two shared a long hug and walked away arm-in-arm.

But Herman wasn’t just there for Woods’ victories; she supported him at tournaments around the world, regardless of the outcome. The couple shared a kiss following the 2018 PGA Championship and were hand-in-hand at the opening ceremonies of the 2018 Ryder Cup in France. Herman also cheered Woods on at the 2022 Masters — his first tournament appearance since the February 2021 car crash that left him with multiple injuries.

“It’s miraculous,” Herman told Golf.com about Woods’ Masters appearance. “It shouldn’t be happening.”

She added, “I mean, nothing ever surprises me about him. But he’d just worked so hard to be here, that was the one thing I knew: once he got here, he wasn’t going to go home.”

She got along well with Woods’ ex-wife and 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren

Tiger Woods poses with his daughter, Sam, son, Charlie and girlfriend Erica Herman after the World Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony prior to THE PLAYERS Championship at PGA TOUR Global Home on March 9, 2022, in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

Chris Condon/PGA TOUR via Getty

When it comes to Woods’ ex-wife Nordegren and Herman, there was no bad blood. “Elin has a friendly relationship with Erica,” a source told PEOPLE. “Tiger has come a long way and Elin acknowledges that. She is happy that he is dating Erica.”

Herman was also close with Woods’ two 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren that he shares with Nordegren. The trio were often seen in the crowd at Woods’ tournaments together, even donning matching outfits at the 2017 Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. “The kids like her,” the same source previously shared with PEOPLE.

Woods’ daughter Sam echoed that sentiment when she introduced her father at his 2022 induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame. In her heartfelt speech, she referred to their strong bond as a family unit — including Herman.

“Through thick and thin, you, Charlie, Erica, [grandmother Kultida Woods] and I will always be a team,” she said.

She helped Woods recover from his February 2021 car crash

Tiger Woods with his girlfriend, Erica Herman, pose on the red carpet during the Presidents Cup Gala prior to Presidents Cup at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club on December 10, 2019, in Melbourne, Australia.

Con Chronis/PGA TOUR via Getty

Woods faced an uphill road to recovery after his car struck a center divider and was in a rollover accident on Feb. 23, 2021, in Los Angeles. He sustained “multiple leg injuries” from the crash that required surgery, according to his agent Mark Steinberg, including fractures to his right tibia and fibula bones, and additional injuries in his foot and ankle.

The accident left Woods unsure if he would walk again or lose his right leg — let alone golf. But Herman, who was photographed at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center the day following his accident, was a key part of his recovery, Woods shared in an interview with Golf Digest. 

“I wanted to test and see if I still had my hands. So even in the hospital, I would have [girlfriend Erica Herman] and [friend] Rob [McNamara] throw me something,” Woods said. “Throw me anything.”

After months of rehab, which Woods described as “more painful than anything I have ever experienced,” he returned to golf — playing in the PNC Championship in December 2021 with his son. Cheering from the sidelines was Herman, along with Woods’ daughter and Nordegren.

She filed a lawsuit against Woods in March 2023

In March 2023, news broke that the pair had split when Herman filed a lawsuit against Woods, asking to be removed from a non-disclosure agreement she signed in August 2017, when the two began dating. She cited the Speak Out Act, which allows NDAs to be nullified in cases of 𝓈ℯ𝓍ual assault or harassment.

Herman’s March 2023 lawsuit is directly related to the lawsuit she filed against Woods’ trust, Jupiter Island Irrevocable Homestead Trust, in October 2022.

In documents obtained by PEOPLE, Herman claims that she had an oral agreement with the trust that allowed her to live at Woods’ home for another five years. However, lawyers for the trust argue that she was only allowed to live in the home while she was dating Woods.

After the trust’s employees “locked her out of the residence, removed her personal belongings, and informed her she could not return,” Herman is claiming that she’s owed $30 million. Per court documents, she is suing for consequential monetary damages, injunctive relief, and attorneys’ fees under the Florida Residential Landlord Tenant Act.

Meanwhile, the trust’s attorneys are pushing for the claims to be heard by an arbitrator and have filed a motion to stay proceedings until the arbitration argument is settled. Their argument remains that the NDA requires arbitration for any issues between Herman and Woods. This prompted Herman to file a separate NDA-related lawsuit.

Shortly after Herman’s lawsuits went public, a source told PEOPLE that Woods feels like he’s in a “nightmare” and desperately wants to avoid “another scandal.”

“Tiger feels like this is another shakedown,” the insider added. “[He] has to decide whether it’s worth paying that amount so that this can go away. Or else, will he see her giving an interview to Dr. Phil? He is trying to protect himself.”

A separate source told PEOPLE that Herman was “more serious about a long-term commitment” than the golf star ever was and that the relationship “deteriorated” completely after Woods recovered from his 2021 car accident. The insider added that because Herman “helped [Woods] through the accident,” she now “thinks that kind of loyalty is worth something.”