Tiger Woods: I Want to Have Kids Soon

By Steve Helling

02/02/2005 at 04:00 PM EST

Tiger Woods, the golf superstar who is normally tight-lipped about his personal life, recently opened up to PEOPLE about being a newlywed – and planning for a family.

"I couldn't be happier," says Woods, who tied the knot with model Elin Nordegren last October. "I love the idea of growing together. I want to have a relationship where we change for the better and continue to get closer."

And, he adds, it's likely that there will be the pitter-patter of baby Tigers around the house in the not-too-distant future.

"We're definitely going to have kids soon. We certainly want to do it, because obviously I'm not getting any younger," says the 29-year-old. "I'd like to have a boy first, then a girl. I like the idea of a big brother taking care of his little sister. I want them to be close in age, too. I want my kids to grow up close."

Asked what he considers the secret to happy marriage, Woods quips: "That's a good question. I hope to be able to answer that in 30 years."

For the full Q&A with Tiger, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.