Woods: Williams is not a racist

Tiger Woods has attempted to draw a line under the race row sparked by Steve Williams by insisting his former caddie is “not a racist” and that he has apologised for his comments.

Williams, who was sacked by the ex-world number one during the summer after 13 years together and is now caddy for Australian Adam Scott, told the audience at a caddies awards dinner in Shanghai on Friday that the aim of his celebration when Scott won a world championship in August was “to shove it right up that black a*******”.

Woods, speaking publicly for the first time since the incident, told a media conference at the Australian Open: “Stevie is certainly not a racist - there’s no doubt about that. It was a comment that shouldn’t have been made and certainly one he wishes he didn’t make.”

Woods and Williams met this morning to discuss the controversial comments, and Woods is now keen to move on from the issue.

“We talked this morning,” said the American, who has slipped to number 58 in the world rankings.

“We met face-to-face, and we talked it through. Obviously it was the wrong thing to say. That’s something that we both acknowledge now. We’ll move forward. He did apologise. It was hurtful, but life moves forward. It’s one of those things. We’ll see what time does.”

Williams served as Woods’ caddie for 13 years, and for 13 of his 14 Major wins, before a fractious parting of the ways this summer.

Asked how their relationship had deteriorated so badly, Woods said: “I don’t know that one.

“For me personally, it was a tough decision to make to go in a different direction. Personally, I don’t know how it could have happened the way it did, but it did.”