WELLINGTON -- Controversial caddie Steve Williams has criticized former employer Tiger Woods over his extra-marital affairs in remarks that threaten to cause new tensions between the two.
Tiger Woods of the US (L) shakes hands with former caddie Steve Williams (R) after the International team pairing of Australian Adam Scott and K.J. Choi defeated Woods and Steve Stricker of the US in their match at the Presidents Cup tournament at the Royal Melbourne golf course, in Melbourne, on Nov. 17. A non-European International team, comprising golfers from Australia, South Africa, Japan and South Korea, takes on the US for the Presidents Cup trophy. -- AFP
Williams made the remarks in an interview recorded last month, before his widely reported racial slur against the former world number one. It was aired as the pair faced each other in competition at the Presidents Cup yesterday.
The New Zealander insisted he knew nothing about Woods’s string of infidelities which were exposed in 2009, triggering a slump that saw the 14-time major champion slide down the world rankings.
“I guess I thought I knew him well and I didn’t,” Williams told YahooSport during the interview in New Zealand.
“I just didn’t like having my name associated with it,” he added. “That sort of activity is not something that I have anything to do with and it’s something I didn’t like.”
Williams, who was sacked by Woods in July, said he would have left the US golfer in no doubt about his feelings had he known what was going on.
“I’m a very loyal sort of person, I don’t agree with that sort of behavior. I would have been strongly giving my piece of advice,” he said.
The comments were made public on the day Williams and his new boss, Australian Adam Scott, played in the same foursome as Woods at the Presidents Cup in Melbourne.
Williams, who helped Woods win all but one of his major titles, said he did not believe the American would break Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18 as he had lost his air of intimidation.
“The intimidation factor counts for a lot and right now Tiger does not have that intimidation factor. That’s one part of his artillery that’s not there any more,” he said.
Williams has already apologized to Woods for saying he wanted to “shove it right up that black arsehole,” describing a victory celebration, in comments made during an awards dinner in Shanghai.
The pair came face-to-face last week at the Australian Open in Sydney, where Woods came third, with the American saying the pair had shaken hands and agreed to move on. -- AFP
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