Global consulting firm Accenture PLC has ended its relationship with Tiger Woods, marking the first major sponsor to cut ties altogether with the golfer since his alleged infidelities surfaced and he announced an indefinite leave from the sport to work on his marriage.

In its first statement since the Woods’ scandal erupted, Accenture said Sunday the golfer is “no longer the right representative” after the “circumstances of the last two weeks.” The move ends a six-year relationship during which the firm credited its “Go on, be a Tiger” campaign with boosting its image significantly.

Accenture has used Woods to personify its claimed attributes of integrity and high performance.

“After careful consideration and analysis, the company has determined that he is no longer the right representative for its advertising,” Accenture said.

The firm plans to immediately transition to a new advertising campaign, with a major effort scheduled to launch later in 2010. An Accenture spokeswoman declined to comment further. Advertising firm Young & Rubicam, which has handled the company’s Tiger Woods ads, also would not comment on the move.

One of the risks of advertising tied to a celebrity is that “your image gets carried by someone you can’t control,” said Jonathan Bernstein, president of Bernstein Crisis Management.

Accenture’s advertising campaign was almost entirely built around Woods and his success, portraying his ability to sink a key putt or hit out of the rough. If Woods had acknowledged mistakes and said he would be back in a month, Accenture might be able to ride it out, said Rick Burton, a professor of sports management at Syracuse University, in an interview.

But Accenture can’t afford to wait for what could be a long time before Woods returns.

Burton said Accenture’s billboards and airport advertising need to be replaced quickly. Without a backup plan, the company might fall back on something simple and conservative that could highlight its logo.

“It is probably prudent to take a low-key, conservative approach until they determine what their next message is that they want to send,” he said.