Fame PicturesAs far as comebacks go, Tiger Woods might not be tearing up the fairways, but he is hoping to regain some of his brand-pitching cachet.
So which company has decided to give it a go with the guy who flamed out so spectaculary after ex-wife Elin Nordegren caught him cheating with numerous other women?
The philandering golfer, who has two kids with his ex-wife, will star in a series of ads for a topical muscle-ache medication made by Japanese company Kowa. The commercials will air on national television in Japan starting Friday, with the company calling their scandalous new hire "one of the most famous people in the sports world."
It'll be one of the very first new ads Woods will appear in since his sex scandal broke right after Thanksgiving night 2009, when he smashed his car into a tree outside his Florida home after a wicked fight with Elin over his extramarital affairs
Fortune had once named Woods the No. 1 endorsement superstar among American pro athletes, with an estimated income of $100 million in 2007 just from his deals. But the links legend hit rock bottom after he was dropped by AT&T, Gatorade and Tag Heuer, with the Swiss watchmaker even removing Woods' instore ads. Global Consulting firm Accenture was the first to quit the golfer, who worked with the company for six years in a "Be a Tiger" campaign.
Even though Woods got the gig endorsing the sports rub, it seems his athleticism isn't what it once was—he hasn't won a tournament since the Australian Masters in 2009. Outside of golf, he has tried to redeem his public image by donating big time to charity.