Woods keen to move on after defending former caddy Williams over racist slur

Williams, who was sacked by the former world No 1 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 event in August was “to shove it right up that black a*******”.

But Woods, speaking publicly about the incident for the first time, 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 to discuss the controversial comments, and Woods is keen to move on from the issue.

“We talked this morning,” said the American, who has slipped to No 58 in the rankings. “We met face-to-face, and we talked it through. We shook hands.

“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 goes forward. It’s one of those things.”