Tiger Woods, Golf Digest End 13-Year Relationship

KAPALUA, Hawaii — Tiger Woods has one less endorsement deal, ending his 13-year relationship with golf's biggest magazine when they couldn't agree on how many hours he should devote to the job.

Golf Digest, with a circulation of 1.65 million, announced Thursday the mutual end of a relationship that began at the 1997 Masters. He made his debut in the magazine in June that year, and the endorsement had been his second-longest, behind Nike.

"We appreciate the insights Tiger has provided to our readers," Jerry Tarde, chairman and editor-in-chief of the publication, said in a statement. Woods' articles mainly were instructional tips.

Golf Digest never disclosed terms of the deal, although it was believed to be among the smallest financially for Woods – no more than $2 million a year. The value came from exposure, along with some content provided for Woods' website.

"The reality is his deal was up at the end of the year," said Mark Steinberg, his agent at IMG. "Because we're living in this digital world, they needed more time from him. He wasn't ready to commit to any additional time at this point with everything going on – trying to work on his swing and other things."

The announcement comes two weeks after Gillette said it would not renew its contract, which expired at the end of 2010. That brings to five the number of endorsements Woods has lost since he was caught in extramarital affairs. The other three are Accenture, AT&T and Gatorade.

Golf Digest put his column on hold last February while Woods took time off to sort out his personal life, resuming the column in September.

Woods' last column will be in the February issue, an indication that both sides had been negotiating a new deal.

Other playing editors at Golf Digest include Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Phil Mickelson.

"I enjoyed my relationship with Golf Digest," Woods said in a statement released by the magazine. "But we have decided it's now time for a break. I wish my friends at Golf Digest continued success."

Comments

[Budokan]

05:04 PM on 01/09/2011

You hear that sound?

That's karma knocking.

[isee61]

08:01 PM on 01/08/2011

Tiger don't NEED no stinkin' endorsement!

[benhawkins]

04:25 PM on 01/08/2011

What brand of razor are we supposed to use now that Gillette has cut ties with Tiger? Does anyone out there know if he still uses that brand or if he is waiting to be picked up by another company? Come on now. American men need to know. It is important that we only use the brand that is endorsed by TW.

[bostongreen]

03:20 PM on 01/08/2011

Tiger Woods didn't break a single law and everyone keeps piling on him. Ben Roethlisberger and Brett Favre sexually harassed women, and they get nothing but kudos. Yeah, this country is really not racist at all.

[kelleytom]

01:05 PM on 01/08/2011

"Golf Digest never disclosed terms of the deal, although it was believed to be among the smallest financially for Woods – no more than $2 million a year." So much for his lap dance allowance.

[DarkTruths]

02:19 AM on 01/08/2011

Isn't needing time to "work on his swing" a pretty lame excuse? You'd think he'd have it down by now...

[cliffhammond]

11:31 PM on 01/07/2011

I wonder if Trojan has recruited him.

[KarateKid]

07:39 PM on 01/07/2011

All the others are superfluous. His biggest sponsor by far is Nike. Now, if THEY drop him, that would be news.

All he has to do is win a few tournaments and he could be his own brand, and keep the bucks for himself. Watch, it's in his future. He's too good a golfer to not make a comeback to the winner's circle.

I'm speaking of him as a golfer, not the person.

[searles7]

05:45 PM on 01/07/2011

Tiger Woods has given all golfers so much joy that we will forever defend his right to be stupid and make mistakes like we all have done at one level or another. And when he comes back to form, all of the high and mighty will be begging him for his endorsement except Nike.

[habeass]

08:20 PM on 01/07/2011

I'll roger that.

[tjdumas]

08:35 PM on 01/07/2011

yes they will.

[djfick]

05:01 PM on 01/07/2011

Is it Tiger bashing season again??? The contract expired and they couldn't agree on a new deal.

[blakfist]

04:29 PM on 01/07/2011

once he starts winning they will beg him to sign a contract. At that point I would go to their competitors.

[dr-steve-pesyk]

02:32 PM on 01/07/2011

These corporations that withdrew support from the great Tiger Woods are both cowards and hypocrits. None-the less, there's not such thing as "negative" publicity-if it's all done right.
Case in point: the nice way President Bill Clinton stayed the course and rose above the critics-with his wife Hillary at his side, no less.
Tiger Woods and fellow golfer Frank Urban "Fuzzy" Zoeller, Jr., should gang up on the negative media and make some outrageous commercials promoting "fried chicken" and "dating", or something like that. Now that's a commercial I would enjoy watching, if only for the outlandishness of it all. Good luck Tiger !

[profounddogs]

02:42 PM on 01/07/2011

Only problem with your friend chicken and dating ideas is that Tiger would never agree to something like that. On the outside he's all business. On the inside, completely another story as we in the world have found out. He's like dr jekyl and mr. hide (get it? "hide"?)

[souris]

02:14 PM on 01/07/2011

................oh, snap...........

[lustforlife802]

02:04 PM on 01/07/2011

One of my favorite titles at the end of the year: Tiger Woods income plummets to 75 million dollars.

Oh the humanity

[hcbrand]

02:23 PM on 01/07/2011

I hope he can still afford the greens fees.

[profounddogs]

02:43 PM on 01/07/2011

Yes, poor Old Tiger Woods. Give me a break.

[Sockme]

01:58 PM on 01/07/2011

Athletes attract sponsorship because businesses want to have their products associated with the image of the sports star. If that image is tainted by loses or acts that are not popular, businesses will be less likely to pay to be associated with them.

It is business, that's all. Business cares about one thing. Money.