Tiger Woods, Lindsey Vonn: A Timeline of Their Romance

USMagazine, Monday, March 18, 2013, 3:00pm (PDT)

After months of denials, Lindsey Vonn and Tiger Woods have officially confirmed they are dating. Posing affectionately in a series of portrait photographs of them as a couple, the two athletes each issued statements via Facebook on Monday, March 18 announcing they're an item.

PHOTOS: Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren -- the way they were

How did their love story start? Vonn, 28, and Woods, 33, first meet at a charity event in April 2012, but the two didn't take their relationship to the next level until later that fall.

PHOTOS: Tiger's family

After a massive cheating scandal, the pro golfer and wife of nearly six years Elin Nordegren, who have kids Sam, 5, and Charlie, 4, ended their marriage in 2010. Vonn, meanwhile, quietly ended her marriage to fellow skier Thomas Vonn in November 2011 after four years. Their divorce, however, wasn't finalized until January 2013.

An insider told Us Weekly that Vonn and Woods' friendship "slowly turned into a relationship." Take a look at a timeline of their road to romance below. 

PHOTOS: Revisit Tiger's sex scandal

Dec. 1, 2012

Vonn denied being in a relationship with Woods to the Denver Post. "We are just friends," she said. "My brother was the ski instructor for his kids this November in Vail. Guessing that's where it came from."

Jan. 25, 2013

As dating rumors continued to swirl about Woods and Vonn, a rep for the Olympic skier issued a statement to Us Weekly. "Lindsey is currently in the midst of the World Cup season in Europe," the statement read. "Her focus is solely on competing and on defending her titles and thus she will not participate in any speculation surrounding her personal life at this time."

Feb. 8, 2013

After tearing two ligaments in her knee during the Apline Ski World Championships, injured skier Vonn boarded Woods' private jet at an airport in Austria. Woods' ex-wife Nordegren would previously fly on the same plane during their marriage.

Feb. 14, 2013

Sources told Us Weekly that things were heating up between the twosome and they were even bonding with each other's families.

Feb. 23, 2013

For the first time in years, Woods and ex-wife Nordegren were photographed reuniting on Feb. 23 at an event in Jupiter, Fla. Nordegren has reportedly moved on from her marriage to Woods, and is currently linked to billionaire Chris Cline.

March 10, 2013 

Vonn was treated to some quality time aboard Woods' luxury yacht, Privacy, in Florida. Before setting sail, the pair spend the weekend aboard the docked ship.

March 18, 2013

The couple issued separate statements (and portrait photos) officially confirming they are dating. "I guess it wasn't a well-kept secret but yes, I am dating Tiger Woods," Vonn wrote on her Facebook page. "Our relationship evolved from a friendship into something more over these past few months and it has made me very happy. I don't plan on addressing this further as I would like to keep that part of my life between us, my family and close friends. Thank you for understanding and your continued support."

Woods also wrote on Facebook, "This season has been great so far and I'm happy with my wins at Torrey and Doral. Something nice that's happened off the course was meeting Lindsey Vonn. Lindsey and I have been friends for some time, but over the last few months we have become very close and are now dating. We thank you for your support and for respecting our privacy. We want to continue our relationship, privately, as an ordinary couple and continue to compete as athletes."

This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: Tiger Woods, Lindsey Vonn: A Timeline of Their Romance