Woman who claims she was Tiger's college girlfriend arrested for DWI

Irene Folstrom, a Bemidji woman who's been in the news since disclosing that she was Tiger Woods' girlfriend at Stanford, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to gross misdemeanor third-degree DWI, according to the Bemidji Pioneer. She had been arrested Monday afternoon.

Her attorney Jason Pederson told me today that Folstrom was sentenced to the three days she spent in jail this week, with additional time stayed, unless she has another related brush with the law.

"Ms. Folstrom is going through an emotionally taxing time in her life, but basically she admitted fault immediately, admitted responsibility immediately, and was very up front with [Beltrami County District Court Judge John Melbye]. It was an isolated incident," said Pederson, "as was pointed out on the record. She's got a clear record. She doesn't have any prior DWIs, alcohol-related offenses. It's something Irene takes seriously."

Asked about the "emotionally taxing time" to which he was referring, Pederson said Folstrom's "divorce has been tough for her. She'll be the first to admit that. She has two kids and the divorce has been difficult for her."

Folstrom told me last week that her divorce was not yet final from Dr. Brett Masayesva. Masayesva is on staff at the Red Lake Indian Health Service, according to an employee who answered the phone today.

Since I began interviewing Folstrom a couple weeks ago, she has made vague comments about struggling with her divorce and talked about her desire to be a good parent to her children. She was reticent about nasty e-mails I have received about her after writing my first item about her Tiger days at Stanford.

I'm guessing Folstrom was in custody Wednesday morning, when I couldn't reach her at a time when she could have been expected to be reachable. Told that I had been concerned she had fallen more ill, since we talked on Sunday, Folstrom only averred that she had not been sick. Wednesday I was trying to contact Folstrom to double-check information in Thursday's column about a book, "Phoenix," she is writing about her life.

The Bemidji Pioneer article written by Molly Miron began "The day after she was scheduled to appear on Sunday's CBS Early Show for yet another media interview on her college years relationship with pro golfer Tiger Woods, Irene Folstrom Masayesva was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving."

Folstrom told Miron that the CBS interview had fallen through because the TV show wanted her to supply photos of herself with Tiger.

Folstrom has so far declined to provide photographic proof of the relationship on the grounds that this was a "precious" time in her life. I have sought and failed to get Woods to confirm the relationship via his agent, Mark Steinberg.

C.J. is at 612.332.TIPS or cj@startribune.com. E-mailers, please state a subject -- "Hello" doesn't count. Attachments are not opened, so don't even try. More of her attitude can be seen on FOX 9 Thursday mornings.