Tiger Woods’ former caddie caused another sensation, this time by using a racial slur to disparage his old boss during a caddies award roast in Shanghai.
Steve Williams received a mock award Friday night for “Celebration of the Year” for his TV interview after Adam Scott won the Bridgestone Invitational.
That was the day Williams said it was “the best win of his life,” despite being on the bag with Woods for 13 majors.
At an awards party filled with banter, Williams said of his interview, “It was my aim to shove it right up that black a——.”
That line drew the biggest reaction at a party attended by several players, caddies, officials and some media. There was a mixture of laughter and shock, with some players turning to each other with eyes widened and jaws agape.
The provision of the party is that all comments are off the record, yet several caddies couldn’t stop talking about it long after it was over.
Approached early the next morning at breakfast, Williams was stunned to learn that British tabloids had gone with the story.
“Why would they do that?” he said. “The whole thing was meant to be fun.”
Hours later, Williams posted a comment on his website.
“I apologize for comments I made last night at the Annual Caddy Awards dinner in Shanghai,” it said. “Players and caddies look forward to this evening all year, and the spirit is always joking and fun. I now realize how my comments could be construed as racist. However, I assure you that was not my intent. I sincerely apologize to Tiger and anyone else I’ve offended.”
Woods was in Australia, though it didn’t take long for the comments to get back to him.
“I was with Tiger last night when he heard the news,” Mark Steinberg, his agent at Excel Sports Management, told The Associated Press. “We got multiple calls from people who sounded like they were leaving the caddie party. Tiger obviously wasn’t there. He doesn’t know exactly what was said. But if multiple reports — which all seem to be accurate — are true, then it’s sad it’s come down to this.”
“It’s a regrettable comment, and there’s really nothing that Tiger can do or say. He’s just going to move on.”
Scott said he was satisfied with Williams’ apology and that his comments were not reported in the right spirit of the evening. When asked if Williams should be fired, Scott said, “I disagree with that.”
“Everything in that room last night was all in good spirits and a bit of fun, probably taken out of that room in the wrong context,” Scott said after a 69 kept him within three shots of the lead at the HSBC Champions.
“Look, anything with Tiger involved is a story. I value Steve’s contributions to my game and having him on the bag.”
Scott also said it was foolish to suggest Williams was racist.
“We all know that’s not the case,” he said.
Woods and Scott are to be in the same group next week at the Australian Open, and there’s a chance they also could face off at the Presidents Cup in Melbourne the week after.
Scott said he was simply in the middle of two people who apparently don’t like each other.
– Doug Ferguson, AP
Looking at that again, Terry Henry really is come cheating w@nker.
He was a classless f (uk. The way he celebrated when he scored. Then when things went against him he acted like a petulant child
Torsten Frings and Philip Lahm scoring rockets on the opening day.
Cracker of a goal by Lahm considering he was a defender although I thought Frings’s goal was better,he only retired a few years back through injury too.
Bought the both of them in every FIFA for about 6 years afterward because of that game….great opener to a great world cup
Considering what’s come out today and with next one in corruption capital Russia, then Brasil this year may be last of the great World Cups for some time. Becoming very clear that football takes 2nd place where the WC is concerned.
That said if Ireland get thru to the next 2 then I will prepared to eat these words. Can’t wait for kick off in 2 weeks.
Cannavaro being a beast.
Remember hearing him say him, his wife and 4 yr old son slept with the world cup that night
Lovely Italy and the passion of their players. A great footballing nation.
They cheated their way through against Australia and materazzi insulted the football great zidane sufficiently to knowingly get a red in a final!! Passion?
Great article Amazon Kelly thanks for the memories
No matter what other things happened in that world cup the thing that stands out most to me is Zidanes headbutt
I forgot about that penalty against Australia. it was bloody outrageous. As much as I love the world cup I think it’s a fix.
Watch it again, it was a penalty
That Carlsberg ad is brilliant… RIP Bobby Robson, pure gent, don’t make them like him anymore…
Italy were brilliant and they were so tough. They had two really bad blooded games against Australia and America, so entertaining
I was in koln when italy played the usa, loads of both nationalitys around and at one point it could’ve passed as Glasgow on old firm day for the bad blood between them!
Cambiasso’s goal is one of the greatest in football history.
I forgot about matty holland!
Gol de Grosso gol de Grosso, moment of the tournament for me.
Schteve McClaren… Love it!
Highlight for me was Germany playing attractive attacking football. Really warmed to a German team for the first time. They hosted a fantastic World Cup too – the fan mile in Berlin was great fun and so inexpensive and convenient.
Left out luthar matteus very famous spit in was it World Cup 86??
Frank Rijkaard italia 90 on rudi voeller
Not surprising that was left out seeing as this is an article about the World Cup that took place two decades later.
I thought that Ronaldo’s wink was in Euro 2004, not the 2006 WC. Could be losing my marbles.
No, the red card and wink were in the 2006 WC. Portugal did beat England on penalties in the QFs in both 2004 and 2006 though.