HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Tiger Woods lost his first major sponsor Sunday as the result of his affair scandal.
Global consulting and outsourcing firm Accenture cut ties with Woods, who had been the centerpiece of the company’s marketing for six years.
“After careful consideration and analysis, the company has determined that he is no longer the right representative for its advertising,” Accenture said in a statement.
“We are disappointed but respect their decision. That is all I have to say to you,” Mark Steinberg, an agent for Woods, said in an e-mail to the Wall Street Journal shortly after the announcement.
The news came one day after another key sponsor of the golfer, Gillette, announced plans to drop Woods from its advertising campaigns for an unspecified period of time.
Woods, 33, has been under the microscope ever since a single-car accident outside his home on Nov. 27. The accident came shortly after the National Enquirer published a story alleging that the PGA star was having an affair with Rachel Uchitel, a New York nightclub manager.
Since the first affair allegation, several more women have stepped forward claiming to have engaged in sexual trysts with Woods, including former VH1 Tool Academy contestant Jaimee Grubbs and porn star Holly Sampson.
On Friday, Woods admitted to cheating on his wife Elin Nordegren for the first time, while also announcing plans to put his golf career on an “indefinite” hold in order to focus on his family.
“I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children,” he said in a statement on his official Web site. “I want to say again to everyone that I am profoundly sorry and that I ask forgiveness. It may not be possible to repair the damage I’ve done, but I want to do my best to try.”
