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Former world number one golfer Tiger Woods and US Olympic skiing champion Lindsey Vonn have announced that they are dating.

The couple made the announcement on their Facebook pages, posting the first pictures of themselves together.

It comes after several weeks of speculation about their relationship.

Mr Woods was previously married to Swedish model Elin Nordegren, but they divorced in 2010 after he revealed a series of extramarital affairs.

The 37-year-old has since begun to rebuild his golfing career, and is showing signs of returning to the form that allowed him to dominate world golf for a decade.

The 91�ȱ�'s David Willis in Los Angeles says Woods rarely discusses his private life, and the announcement and pictures may be a way of preventing the paparazzi from pursuing the couple in pursuit of a lucrative first photograph.

'Evolved from friendship'

Woods wrote on his Facebook page: "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."

Writing on her own page, Ms Vonn said: "I guess it wasn't a well-kept secret but yes, I am dating Tiger Woods.

"Our relationship evolved from a friendship into something more over these past few months and it has made me very happy."

Ms Vonn, 28, is regarded as one of the premier skiers of her generation, having won gold at the 2010 winter Olympics and several world championships.

Her season was recently cut short by a knee injury, however.