‘Hurt’ Woods says Williams not racist

IT was ‘Tigermania’ all over again and 15 years after Tiger Woods had first set foot on Australian soil.

However the some 20 TV cameras present in a packed press room had not come to film Woods comments on returning to contest this week’s Australian Open.

No sooner had Woods been introduced and one of the country’s more noted political reporters went straight for the jugular, asking the former long time World No. 1 to respond to the racist remarks of Steve Williams, the American’s former caddie.

Woods and Williams were spotted in conversation soon after Tiger arrived at The Lakes Golf Club and venue this week for the Emirates Australian Open in Sydney.

The New Zealander had phoned Woods following the scandal that broke last week in Shanghai.

“We talked this morning face to face and talked about it and talked it through,” said Woods.

“It was the wrong thing to say and Steve acknowledges that now and we’ve moveD forward.

“Steve did apologise. It was hurtful but then life goes forward.”

Williams was caddie to Woods for all but one of the Americans 14 Major triumphs with Woods electing to split from the New Zealander ahead of last August’s WGC–Bridgestone Invitational.

And after Woods and Williams had been close for so many years it prompted the question to Woods how did a relationship of some 14 years break down to the extent it has. “That’s a great question and I still don’t know the answer to that one,” said Woods.

“For me personally it was a tough decision to make and it was time for me to go in a different direction with a new caddie. Stevie has moved to work with Adam Scott and they won a World Championship, so Adam is great right now.

“But as far as personally, I don’t know how things have since happened between us but it did and here we are.

“So as I said, life goes forward and we have moved forward.

“But then time heals all wounds and we will see if it does.”

Woods confessed he does not believe Williams to be a racist.

“No, Stevie is certainly not a racist so there is no problem with that,” said Woods.

Woods is competing in Sydney for a first time since making his Australian debut in 1996.