RLANDO, Florida: Tiger Woods is reportedly yachting to the Bahamas for the holidays to escape the firestorm over his sex scandal while his wife, Elin, is said to be off back to Sweden for Christmas with her family.

Woods, who turns 34 next week, launched his yacht from Palm Beach for the Bahamas at the weekend, with People magazine quoting an unidentified friend as saying the golf star faced a deeply unhappy time ahead.

"He's devastated at everything he has lost," the magazine quoted the source as saying. "He will go through some dark times. It's going to be a lonely Christmas for him."