Verrrryy interesting Friday Wall Street Journal piece headlined, “How Tiger Protected His Image.”

Seems back in 2007, the National Enquirer had a scoop about Tiger’s canoodling with Florida “restaurant employee” Mindy Lawton, but spiked the exposé (the Enquirer denies this) in return for a Tiger! cover story in sister publication Men’s Fitness (both are owned by American Media Inc.).

That was a surprise to Golf Digest, which had retained Woods as its golf-guru-in-residence, the Journal reported:

Under Golf Digest’s contract with Mr. Woods, the monthly, which is owned by Condé Nast Publications Inc., spent as much as $1 million annually on donations to the Tiger Woods Foundation, printing the charity’s annual report and sponsoring many of Mr. Woods’s preferred tournaments, according to a person familiar with the terms. In return, Mr. Woods agreed to contribute monthly articles on golf techniques and limit his appearances in competing publications.

But Woods was apparently free to freelance, according to the WSJ:

Mr. Woods had cut an unusual deal with American Media Inc., the owner of both Men’s Fitness magazine and the National Enquirer tabloid newspaper. Mr. Woods agreed to the cover shot and photo spread in Men’s Fitness, whose circulation of about 700,000 per issue is less than half of Golf Digest’s nearly 1.7 million, in return for the National Enquirer squelching a story and photographs purportedly showing Mr. Woods in a liaison with a woman who wasn’t his wife, according to people directly involved in the arrangement.

Meanwhile, the woman who is Tiger’s wife has become the hot endorsement get. From a KSINO Brand clothing press release:

EXCLUSIVE ENDORSEMENT FOR ELIN

As Tiger’s Deals Dry Up, Mrs. Woods is Getting Offers

December 18, 2009-New York, New York -Amid rumors that Elin Nordegren is about to file for divorce from her beleaguered super-star husband, KSINO Brand clothing is reaching out to the publically humiliated wife with a serious offer. The newly launched premium apparel company has recently signed exclusive celebrity spokesperson agreements with one of poker’s hottest players (Lacey Jones) as well as a Playboy Cyber Girl (Jessa Lynn) but they see this possible relationship with the soon-to-be ex-Mrs. Woods as one that speaks directly to their brand.

“We have tried a number of times to contact Ms. Nordegren” said KSINO President Alex That. “We know that she is going through a very difficult time right now, but we want to offer her a position with our company as a celebrity spokesperson. This is a real offer. We think she’s right for our brand because we’re all about taking chances, staying cool and winning, while still looking great. She is about to embark on a newly single life. She is taking risks and remaining classy, that’s what KSINO is about” he continued. “We will continue to reach out to Elin, but I ask that she or her spokes-person contact me immediately”.

The hardworking staff at Campaign Outsider also asks that Elin Woods or her spokesperson contact us immediately.

We – and KSINO Brand clothing – should live so long.