"He makes one mistake and they run all over the guy" - Steve Williams
Steve Williams believes that media has "run all over" Tiger Woods for making "one mistake".
Speaking to Sky Sports News, the Kiwi caddie spoke out about what he considers unfair press treatment of "the guy."
Williams said: “I feel deeply sorry for the guy. In the 10 years I have caddied for this guy, he has been thoroughly gracious with the media. He has never not committed himself to the media. He’s been great and he makes one mistake and they run all over the guy. I think he will be very cautious with the media when he comes back, and rightfully so."
Branded an "enabler" by elements of the American media, Williams denied all knowledge of Woods' extra curricular activities.
He also unwittingly revealed Tiger's strategy from now on: Be seen to make an effort to patch things up with Elin and then get back out on tour.
Williams said: "When he gets back to the tour and people will have seen that has made an honest attempt to get back with his family, I think that’s important, I think they will heal a lot people’s...or change a lot of people’s perspective of it. Tiger is human. We all make mistakes in life."
As for the "enabler" accusations, Williams did not hold back when he spoke to Neil Reid of New Zealand's Sunday News.
The guts of his defence is that he always tell the harsh truth. Incredibly, he cites last year's "Phil Mickelson is a prick" controversy as a perfect example of his stature as a man of true moral fibre.
"I am a straight-up sort of person. I tell it like it is," Williams said.
"Last year, at the same particular point of time, is when I had the confrontation with Phil Mickleson [the world's No 2 ranked golfer]. I didn't lie about it – I called the guy a prick.
"I never said I didn't call him a prick. I never denied one word of what I said.
"I had no knowledge of what Tiger's indiscretion was. And for Rick Reilly to turn around and say that I am a liar and there is no way I couldn't know – and that I should be fired – that is sensational journalism at its height right there.
"I am an honest person. I had no knowledge of what was going on [with Tiger]. If I did, I would say I did."