Woods and former caddy Williams defuse tension at first tee

Melbourne: Tiger Woods and his former caddy Steve Williams moved to defuse tension early in the Presidents Cup, shaking hands at the first tee at Royal Melbourne Golf Club before their group`s opening foursomes match on Thursday.

Williams, who now carries International player Adam Scott`s bag after Woods fired him in July, sparked a global controversy in the leadup to the biennial tournament by making a racist remark about Woods in China earlier this month. U.S. captain Fred Couples on Wednesday put an end to days of intense media speculation by naming Woods and playing partner Steve Stricker to play Australian Scott and South Korea`s KJ Choi in a move he said was not premeditated. After greeting and shaking hands with Williams to a smattering of applause from surrounding spectators, Woods split the par-four fairway with his tee-shot. Woods is making his seventh Presidents Cup appearance as the U.S. bid to win their fourth successive trophy, though Royal Melbourne is the venue of their sole loss in 1998. Bureau Report