Don’t insinuate that Tiger Woods is a cheater, because that just might land you with a lawsuit threat. After Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee questioned Woods’ ethics in an October 15 column, he found himself the recipient of a lot of backlash, including hearing from Tiger Woods’ attorney.

In the column that sparked the controversy, Chamblee graded several pro golfers and awarded Tiger Woods with an “F.” Chamblee gave Woods this grade because he believes Woods has cheated on the golf course. Check out Chamblee’s comments on Woods below:

Tiger Woods: When I was in the fourth grade, I cheated on a math test and when I got the paper back it had “100” written at the top and just below the grade, was this quote, “Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive!” It was an oft-quoted line from the epic poem “Marmion” by Sir Walter Scott, and my teacher’s message was clear. Written once more beneath that quote was my grade of “100”, but this time with a line drawn through it and beneath that an F. I never did ask my teacher how she knew I cheated and I certainly didn’t protest the grade. I knew I had done the wrong thing and my teacher the right, but I never forgot the way I felt when I read that quote.

I remember when we only talked about Tiger’s golf. I miss those days. He won five times and contended in majors and won the Vardon Trophy and … how shall we say this … was a little cavalier with the rules.

100
F

Mark Steinberg, Woods’ agent, was infuriated with Chamblee’s insinuation and said it is the worst thing he has ever seen in a statement to ESPN.

“There’s nothing you can call a golfer worse than a cheater,” Steinberg said. “This is the most deplorable thing I have seen. I’m not one for hyperbole, but this is absolutely disgusting. Calling him a cheater? I’ll be shocked, stunned if something is not done about this.” Steinberg also said he would “have to give some thought to legal action.”

Chamblee initially stood by his comments early on Tuesday and said they were called for. “I don’t feel I’m the one that needs to justify the ‘F.’ The BMW video does it for me,” Chamblee said. Check out the video Chamblee is referencing:

The golf analyst had a change of heart in just a matter of hours, though, and made a few apology posts to Tiger Woods via Twitter:

What brought me here was the realization that my comments inflamed an audience on two sides of an issue.

— brandel chamblee (@chambleebrandel) October 23, 2013

Golf is a gentleman's game and I'm not proud of this debate. I want to apologize to Tiger for this incited discourse.

— brandel chamblee (@chambleebrandel) October 23, 2013

And no – I was not asked to apologize

— brandel chamblee (@chambleebrandel) October 23, 2013

My intention was to note Tiger's rules infractions this year, but comparing that to cheating in grade school went too far.

— brandel chamblee (@chambleebrandel) October 23, 2013

Image via Twitter