Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson were never good friends. But now Woods’ caddie, Steve Williams, has made the situation a lot more awkward.
At a charity event in his native New Zealand on Saturday, Williams said it was no surprise Woods and Mickelson don’t get along, and that he “wouldn’t call Mickelson a great player … because I hate the [jerk],” according to a New Zealand newspaper, the Taranaki Daily News.
Mickelson caught wind of the quote and released a statement Sunday night.
“After seeing Steve Williams’ comments, all I could think of was how lucky I am to have a class act like Bones on my bag and representing me,” Mickelson said, referring to his long-time caddie, Jim Mackay, nicknamed “Bones.”
Woods then responded yesterday, releasing a statement admonishing his caddie.
“I was disappointed to read the comments attributed to Steve Williams about Phil Mickelson, a player that I respect,” Woods said. “It was inappropriate. The matter has been discussed and dealt with.”
Williams, who has been on Woods’ bag for 13 of his 14 major championships, later confirmed his comments to another New Zealand newspaper, the Sunday Star Times.
He added he did not intend for his comments to get out, and that he didn’t say any of these things “to a media person.”
“I visit a lot of golf clubs and do a lot of speaking for charity and that is one of the questions I get asked the most: What is Tiger’s relationship like with Phil Mickelson?” Williams said.
“I was simply honest and said they don’t get along. You know what it’s like. You’re at a charity event and you have a bit of fun.”
Along with his vulgar depiction of Mickelson, Williams also plugged Mickelson’s name into an infamous story about Colin Montgomerie at the 2002 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black on Long Island, where Montgomerie was heckled about his physique after not acknowledging a fan and his play suffered.
Mickelson said Williams’ story was an “absolute fabrication” and that his comments were “grossly inaccurate and irresponsible.”
“I don’t particularly like the guy,” Williams told the Star Times. “He pays me no respect at all and hence I don’t pay him any respect. It’s no secret we don’t get along either.”
bcyrgalis@nypost.com