Tag Heuer ends $10m sponsorship deal with Tiger Woods

Luxury Swiss watch maker Tag Heuer ended a $10m sponsorship with the former World No.1golfer, according to Golf World, when his contract expired.

The contract is believed to be worth more than $10m and is another financial blow to Woods as the Swiss firm is the sixth major sponsor to drop him following scandals about his personal life. Woods has already lost Gillette, Gatorade, Accenture, AT&T and Golf Digest as sponsors.

The series of allegations in his personal life was reported to have cost Woods more than $25m in sponsorship deals.

Other major sponsors, including Nike and EA Sports, have stood by the sportsman, however golf websites reported that Woods has had his sponsorship pay cut by Nike failing to win any major tournament in the last two years.

Woods is still estimated to be worth about $500 million but since his personal life became public almost two years ago he has not won a single tournament.

Woods attempt at a comeback this week following a three-month injury lay-off due to a knee and Achilles knocks at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio did not go well, with Woods finishing in tied 37th.

Pain and misery at the 2011 US PGA Championships

Rory McIlroy returned to Atlanta Athletic Club golf course this morning, teeing off for his second round at the US PGA Championship despite straining a tendon in his wrist yesterday.

There were concerns as to whether it was wise for the 22-year-old to play, but one thing you can definitely say about McIlroy is that he’s determined.

Yesterday Rory McIlroy attempted to play a shot on the third hole where his seven-iron collided with a tree root.

The pre-tournament favourites ill shot was revealed when his ball rebounded off the tree, he dropped the club immediately and grabbed his wrist and played the rest of his round in considerable pain.

On the fourth he was given an ice pack and advice “Don't do anything stupid for the sake of playing," Darren Clarke the Open champion told his young playing partner.

Already there have been comparisons made to the 2008 US Open when after almost every shot Woods was in agony. Woods famously proceeded to win “on one leg.” This comparison became slightly more realistic when McIlroy who was clearly in pain produced another great bunker to birdie the par-five fifth and then holed a long putt on the sixth.

The Northern Irishman played three more holes – and to his credit, birdied two of them – before a strapping was applied to the wrist by his own Physiotherapist Cronel Driessen on the 9th.

At the 12th hole it looked as if Driessen might have pushed the rules, as he was seen talking with Rory and shaking his head as he considered a chip shot. Did this constitute advice and thereby a two-shot penalty? Rules Official Kerry Haigh reviewed the incident and gave McIlroy the all-clear.

Yesterday the most painful thing to watch was Tiger Woods. The day started well but by mid-round he was struggling to say the least. By the end it was a question of whether he would make the cut.

Woods made his worst-ever opening round in a major since 1996 and, unless he can improve significantly on his seven-over-par 77, needing a round of 68 or better to make the cut, he will be out of the US PGA tonight and out of the FedEx Cup play-offs as well.

"Got off to a great start today, was 3 under early, was having mechanical thoughts through those holes … and I thought, 'I can let it go' and play by instinct and feel," Woods said yesterday. "And it just screwed up my whole round. I'm not at that point where I can do that yet."

Woods faces another blow to his confidence and a month on the sidelines