Steve Williams Apology Enough for Sponsor

November 8, 2011

Apologetic New Zealand caddy Steve Williams may have saved one of his sponsorships after regretting his comments about former employer Tiger Woods.

Williams, who races stock cars when not on the PGA Tour, has retained his Valvoline endorsement deal.

A spokesman for Ashland Inc, the Kentucky-based firm that owns Valvoline, says it has communicated with Williams and is effectively satisfied with his apology, CBS Sports’ website reports.

Williams wears the Valvoline logo on his shirt while working as a caddie.

“We’re not speaking for Steve Williams. He has a contract with us, a legal contract. Well, for now, anyway,” Ashland spokesman Jim Vitak told CBS Sports.

“We do periodically review contracts at appropriate points in time,” he added.

Australian golfer Adam Scott has resisted calls to fire or suspend Williams for describing Woods as a “black arsehole” while addressing a caddies’ awards party in Shanghai at the weekend.

Scott on Monday night released a statement reiterating he had accepted Williams’ apology and said Williams didn’t mean any racial slur.

Williams, sacked by Woods this year after carrying his bag for 12 years, posted the apology on his website saying he realised how his comments “could be construed as racist. However I assure you that was not my intent”.