There is the notion often expressed that it takes a big man to say that they're sorry. However, in some instances it may take an even bigger one to forgive and golfer Tiger Woods has showed himself to be very big indeed.
On Nov. 8, 2011, Woods helped his former caddy Steve Williams begin to put a regrettable incident in the rear view mirror. Williams had made a crude and arguably racist remark about Tiger in Shanghai last week and the two had a talk about it at the Lakes Golf Club in Sydney, Australia, days in advance of the Australian Open. Williams apologized, Woods accepted.
Steve Williams: Crude Comments on Tiger Woods
Last Friday night while onstage receiving an award at a banquet in Shanghai, Williams was asked why he'd said his new boss, Adam Scott 's victory at the Bridgestone Invitational last August was the greatest of his caddying career, despite all the majors he won with Woods. "I wanted to shove it up that black arsehole," Williams said.
The Bridgestone was Williams' first tournament caddying with Scott after he was fired by Woods following more than a decade, and 13 major wins, together. At the time Williams' firing seemed to connect to his over-the-top celebration of Scott's Bridgestone victory and for a week after it he grabbed the media limelight. He even made some remarks about Tiger needing to earn his respect back after his well-documented indiscretions.
Despite that, and the newly-minted remark at the Shanghai function, Woods was in a forgiving mood, though he wasn't totally letting Williams off the hook. "It was a wrong thing to say, something that we both acknowledge," Woods told the meda. "He did apologize. It was hurtful, certainly, but life goes forward."
Tiger Woods: "Stevie's...Not a Racist"
Scott's already on record as saying that the remarks will not affect Williams' employment with him, noting that he values the New Zealander''s skills as a caddy. And Woods said that he does not translate Williams' unfortunate remarks to mean he was harboring a racist nature from him all those years.
"No, Stevie's certainly not a racist, there's no doubt about that," Woods said "I think it was a comment that shouldn't have been made and was certainly one that he wished he didn't make. We're moving forward."
