WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - The caddie for Tiger Woods denied knowing anything about the "indiscretions" that led the world's No. 1 player to take an indefinite leave from golf.
Steve Williams said in an interview with the Sunday News in New Zealand that he was angry with an American sports writer who said the caddie must have known about Woods' alleged affairs and may even have helped arranged liaisons.
In a column for ESPN The Magazine, Rick Reilly wrote that Woods needs to "clean house."
"If he wants to keep his wife, he has to get a new agent, a new caddie and some new friends," Reilly wrote. "It's hard to believe all this went on without their help or knowledge. How can she see them as anything but enablers?"
"What people fail to realize is I (just) work for Tiger Woods," Williams told the newspaper. "I live in New Zealand, I travel to and from New Zealand to caddie for Tiger Woods. I am not with him 24/7. Whilst I am a very good friend of his ... I don't know what he does off the course. When he is not competing, I am back in New Zealand. I have no knowledge of what he is doing.
"I am an honest person. I had no knowledge of what was going on. If I did, I would say I did."
Williams said he had no idea when Woods planned to play golf again.
Woods announced Friday he was taking indefinite leave from the tour to focus on becoming "a better husband, father and person."
"Tiger just said he needs a break, and I don't want to put any pressure on the guy," said Williams, who began working for Woods in 1999. "He will know in his mind, and his family will know in their mind, when it is the right time for him to return to playing golf. He will have the right people counseling him and between the people that counsel him, his wife and his immediate friends, when he is ready to come back he will be ready to come back."
Williams said he would be ready to caddie when Woods return, and he would not work for anyone else.
"I have always stated that my last caddie job will be caddying for Tiger," he said. "I am committed to him. I understand he needs a break to sort his personal stuff out and I will be there for him when he wishes to return to play."