Golf legend gets bitten for £125m divorce

The former Wimbledon champion would have been forced to give embarrassing details of their affair by producing love letters and receipts of expensive gifts she had received.

But the courtroom showdown was postponed at the 11th hour as both legal teams arrived at the court in Florida to say they had struck a deal.

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The dramatic development came as Norman - known as the Great White Shark - and Evert were pictured arriving in his native Australia for a holiday, and comes after months of bitter legal wrangling.

Former flight attendant Laura had demanded half of Norman's assets and the couple's stunning £10.5million home on Jupiter Island, Florida, after the collapse of their 25-year marriage.

When Norman, 52, filed against his wife last June, stating the marriage was "irretrievably broken", the divorce seemed to be amicable. But it took a bitter twist when his relationship with Evert leaked out after he moved into a £3.5 million mansion close to her home in Boca Raton, Florida.

Norman's personal fortune is estimated to be worth £140 million. His assets include a £30million jet, a helicopter and various homes, as well as a multi-national business empire.

According to their legal teams, the couple - who have two children - have agreed all terms, with the exception of the tax liability on private jet ownership.

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Mrs Norman, 58, said after the hearing last Friday: "It's over. We signed a settlement agreement. It's a relief."

The haggling between Norman and his wife has seen each blaming the other for stalling proceedings and hiding assets.

At one stage Norman - who has won 86 tournaments during his career, including two British Opens - insisted he wanted a larger share of the marital pie because, as his lawyer Martin Haines put it: "The wife did not teach the husband how to win."

Another issue was whether Laura could claim future income from his image and whether she had the right to 50 per cent of his business empire, which includes property, leisure and golf-course design companies.

Both sides have signed a confidentiality agreement and declined to go into detail on the settlement.