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AT&T, which had previously said it was assessing its relationship with Woods, said in a brief statement on Thursday: "We are ending our sponsorship agreement with Tiger Woods and wish him well in the future."

Woods, believed to be the world's wealthiest athlete, estimated to earn about $100 million a year in endorsement deals before his troubles, confessed on December 11 to "infidelity" to his Swedish wife Elin Nordegren. He announced he would take an indefinite break from golf to save his marriage.

The scandal may have cost shareholders of companies endorsed by the world's No. 1 golfer $5 billion to $12 billion in losses, according to a study by two economics professors from the University of California, Davis.

"Our analysis makes clear that while having a celebrity of Tiger Woods' stature as an endorser has undeniable upside, the downside risk is substantial, too," one of the professors, Victor Stango of UC Davis Graduate School of Management, said in a statement released along with the study.

Some economic analysts, however, have questioned the accuracy of the UC Davis study, although they acknowledge that Woods' own marketable value as a subject for corporate endorsement has been badly hit by the scandal.

Sponsors who have revised their relationship with Woods include technology outsourcing and consulting firm Accenture Plc, which ended its endorsement, and Procter & Gamble Co's shaving products maker Gillette, which dropped the golfer from its marketing.

Some other companies, however, like American athletic shoe maker Nike Inc, have said they are standing by the golfer.

The scandal saw a parade of more than a dozen women -- from cocktail waitresses to porn stars -- come forward to say they had affairs with the married father of two.

Since the start of the scandal, Woods, who had previously carefully maintained a public image of a clean-living sports and family man, has kept out of sight of the media.

A spokesman for AT&T declined to give any details of its deal with Woods.

The hunt for Tiger Woods is on, or at least the first photographs of the golf superstar since his late-night car crash and damaging news of his marital problems.

The winner of 14 majors has virtually disappeared since driving his SUV into a tree during a bizarre accident outside his Orlando-area home last month. His wife, Elin Nordegren, has also laid low, though photos of her surfaced this week, her hand showing no sign of a wedding ring.

Except for a few posts on his Web site, where Woods apologized for "transgressions" and said he was taking an indefinite leave from golf, the world's best player has gone underground. And that, of course, has driven up the market value for his photographs.

"He's on top of the list," said famed paparazzo Ron Galella, who once had his jaw broken by Marlon Brando and is the subject of a documentary by Oscar-winning director Leon Gast that will premiere at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.

"The only bigger one would be Brad Pitt with Jennifer Aniston, his former wife, if they ever got together," Galella said. "Tiger is hot now."

The word paparazzi comes from a character in the film "La Dolce Vita," although they often make life anything but sweet for athletes and celebrities.

Some of them go to lawbreaking lengths to get the exclusive shot, scaling walls, hanging out of trees, and even chartering helicopters if it means getting a picture of something within a gated community — one such as Isleworth, where Woods and his family have their home.

The value of the photographs depends on several factors, said Frank Griffin of the Bauer-Griffin Agency, including things like quality and setting. If the picture were of Woods crying or contrite, it would be more valuable than one of him smiling.

The company said it was standing by the world's No. 1 golfer, who said on Friday that he was taking an "indefinite break" from the sport.

"Upper Deck will maintain its exclusive agreement with Tiger in both our sports cards and memorabilia categories, and we look forward to his eventual return to the PGA Tour," Upper Deck Chief Executive Richard McWilliam said in a statement. "Tiger and his family have our full support."

Woods has served as an exclusive spokesman and autograph signer for Upper Deck since 2001.

Woods, 33, last week admitted cheating on his Swedish wife Elin Nordegren as allegations of multiple extramarital affairs rocked his life and career.

The golfer's public standing has plummeted as a parade of up to 13 women -- from cocktail waitresses to porn stars -- came forward to say they had had flings with the married father of two.

In the latest USA Today/Gallup poll, Woods' "favorable" rating dropped to 33 percent from 85 percent in June 2005. His "unfavorable" rating surged to 57 percent from 8 percent.

A Washington Post-ABC News poll found more than four in 10 Americans hold an unfavorable view of Woods and more than a third -- whether golf fans or not -- believe companies should not continue to use Woods to endorse their products.

Findings like those are making companies nervous.

The doctor, Anthony Galea, was stopped in Toronto on Oct. 15 carrying human growth hormone and Actovegin, an unapproved drug in the United States. His attorney, Brian H. Greenspan, said Galea is expected to learn of charges related to conspiracy, controlled substances and customs violations from the Royal Canadian Police in a Toronto courtroom Friday.

Greenspan said Galea was carrying "a very, very small amount of HGH" for personal use. HGH is illegal without a prescription in the United States and Canada, and it is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency and nearly all professional sports leagues.

t is not uncommon for the FBI in Buffalo to be notified of apparent attempts to enter the United States with illegal drugs, and opening an investigation would be standard procedure, two officials said. A government source said the office "wouldn't be concerned necessarily with who the users are but that doesn't mean [it] wouldn't interview them."

Greenspan described Woods as a patient whom Galea "assisted in his rehabilitation program" after knee surgery last year.

Greenspan said Galea never prescribed banned or illegal drugs to any professional athletes and that Woods had no connection to the case. . . .

In Los Angeles, Illinois insurance executive Michael David Barrett pleaded guilty to secretly shooting nude videos of ESPN reporter Erin Andrews, who called her stalker a sexual predator and said she hopes he "never sees the light of day." Barrett pleaded guilty to interstate stalking after Andrews urged the judge to give him a harsh sentence and not allow him out on bail.

"Saturday Night Live" can't resist taking a swing out of Tiger woods who is making headlines with his multiple-affair story. On Saturday, December 5, Blake Lively guest starred in a sketch as the golfer's wife Elin Nordegren who accompanies Woods, played byKenan Thompson, in a press conference to address their marital woes.

Introduced by Jason Sudeikis who plays Wolf Blitzer of CNN's "Situation Room", Woods has several bruises during the first press conference. And when he has a slip of tongue about having more than one mistress, the skit is cut into a breaking news of Woods admitted to hospital. As the skit proceeds, he has more and more injuries with the last one being hit with his own golf stick.

This skit is taking a jab at Woods' statement last week which was, "I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart. I have not been true to my values and the behavior my family deserves. I am not without faults and I am far short of perfect."

Woods' family turmoil is also the subject of "Weekend Update" with anchor Seth Meyers. "Last Friday Tiger Woods hit a tree and a bunch of ladies fell out," Meyers jokes. Taking a jab at Woods' sponsors sticking by him even after the incident, Meyers comments, "...a gesture that only means one thing - women don't watch golf."