Tiger Woods files suit against Christensen Shipyards for US$50 million

By IBI Magazine

Professional golfer Tiger Woods has filed a lawsuit against Christensen Shipyards of Vancouver, Washington, claiming the yacht builder breached the contract between them. According to the lawsuit, Woods' 47.2m (155ft) Christensen motoryacht, named Privacy, was displayed in photographs together with Woods' name at the Ft Lauderdale International Boat Show. Woods' suit contends that Christensen breached a clause in the contract designed to protect the golfer's privacy.

The suit was filed a day after Woods' wife, Elin, saw the Christensen boat display at the show. The 12-page lawsuit, according to a story in the Miami Herald, claims that Woods has suffered damages of more than $75,000. But it adds that, because of his ''value as an endorser and promoter of products", compensatory damages could top $50 million.

IBI was unable to reach Christensen for comment before presstime, though the shipyard would not comment on the case to the Herald. A hearing on Woods' motion for an injunction against Christensen has been set for Monday before US District Judge William J. Zloch, according to the court docket.

Woods and his wife, a model from Sweden, were married last month in Barbados, according to published reports. Privacy was anchored off the coastline and hosted such guests as Michael Jordan, Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey.

Woods bought the vessel last February for about $57 million, according to the Herald. "As its name implies, Privacy was intended to be a private respite for Woods and his family to relax and escape the rigors of Woods' celebrity," said the lawsuit, adding that the shipyard has conducted a ''widespread national campaign'' to ''exploit'' Woods' celebrity.

Several boating magazines have already carried stories about Privacy and Woods.

(5 November 2004)