Remorseful Tiger but hidden caddie

Tiger Woods' caddie Steve Williams was conspicuous by his absence as he and the rest of the world watched his famous boss fall on his sword in a tightly-scripted and choreographed public apology yesterday.

The Kiwi caddie was nowhere to be seen as the world's top golfer made his mea culpa 84 days after news of his multiple affairs broke - liaisons Williams claims he knew nothing about.

Yesterday Williams did not respond to emails from the Herald on Sunday.

Absent too was Woods' wife Elin Nordegren who, although in the same state, was not in the handpicked audience at the US PGA Tour headquarters to hear her husband's plea for forgiveness.

Instead she did the school run dressed entirely in Nike gear, one of the few sponsors to stand by their man.

While Tiger's fans lapped up the highly-orchestrated 16-minute apology of a serial adulterer - and prepared to forgive and move on - opinion was split over Woods' sincerity.

And Williams too, by association, came in for a slap from sporting columnists with one, Mark Reason, saying "a whole lot of people would be happy if he got rid of caddie Steve Williams, whom nobody seems to like".

Some argue Woods needs a fresh start, which would include replacing Williams, his management and his support team.