NEW YORK: US automaker General Motors said their agreement with Tiger Woods that allowed the embattled golf star to have use of its cars for free had ended.Woods’ endorsement deal with GM’s Buick brand ended in 2008.
However, an arrangement remained in place that allowed him to keep several GM vehicles on loan.
A company spokesman said that arrangement ended on December 31.
Woods has lost a string of endorsement contracts since a November 27 car crash outside his Florida home.
The mysterious accident touched off a sensational sex scandal, with Woods eventually admitting to marital infidelity and declaring that he would take an indefinite break from competition.
The GM spokesman said the vehicle loan arrangement had previously been scheduled to end on December 31. US telecoms giant AT&T and Accenture, the Dublin-based technology, management and outsourcing consultancy, both dropped their sponsorships of Woods in December.
Other sponsors – Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer and razor-blade giant Gillette – have stopped using his image for the time being.
Sports equipment giant Nike, which pays Woods an estimated US$40 million a year, has issued unqualified support for Woods, and electronic game manufacturer Electronic Arts is going ahead with plans to roll out an online game featuring Woods. — AFP