Tiger Woods defended his former caddie Steve Williams yesterday, saying he was not a racist and that he had apologized for a “hurtful” slur that triggered widespread condemnation last week.
Williams, who was Woods’ caddie for 13 of his 14 major titles before being sacked earlier this year, referred to the former world No. 1 as a “black arsehole” during an awards dinner on Friday night in Shanghai.
The pair came face to face at the Lakes course in Sydney yesterday ahead of this week’s Australian Open, where Williams is now carrying the clubs of Australian world No. 8 Adam Scott.
Photo: EPA
Woods, 35, who has not won a tournament in two years — precipitating a slump in his world ranking to 58 — said that the pair shook hands and agreed to move on.
“We talked this morning, we met face to face and talked it through,” Woods told a press conference. “Obviously, it was a wrong thing to say, something that we both acknowledged now and we’re moving forward. He did apologize. It was hurtful, certainly, but life goes forward.”
“No, Stevie’s certainly not a racist, there’s no doubt about that. I think it was a comment that shouldn’t have been made and certainly one that he wished he didn’t make,” he said.
Despite outrage over Williams’ remarks, Scott has refused to fire the New Zealander at this week’s event.
Greg Norman, also competing in Sydney, defended the caddie and said there was no racism in golf, while tournament chiefs said no action would be taken, but Woods’ friend, Presidents Cup captain Fred Couples, has said he would have sacked Williams as his caddie over his remarks.
Williams, 47, posted an online statement on Saturday apologizing to Woods and admitting his comments “could be construed as racist,” but the USPGA and European Tours have declared the matter closed.
Woods said it had been a tough decision to split with Williams.
“For me, personally, it was a tough decision to make to go in a different direction in my professional life, but as far as personally, I don’t know how it [the comment] happened, but it did. Here we are, so life goes forward,” Woods said. “This summer, I wanted to go in a different direction. I wasn’t playing, I was injured and I was trying to come back, but I missed most of the major championships and he [Williams] didn’t want to miss them, which was understandable. I wish I could have played in them too.”
He said Williams was currently in a good position.
“He’s got a great bag [caddying] and Adam’s playing well. He’s got just a load of talent, so he’s in a good spot,” Woods said. “We’ll see what time does, we know that time does heal wounds and we’ll see how it goes. We shook hands.”
Woods said it was up to the golfing authorities to look at any sanctioning of players, officials and caddies over their conduct away from the course.
“I don’t make the policies. I’m not part of the governing bodies, that’s up to them,” the former world No. 1 said.
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