Tiger Woods took the high road in making his first public comments about his former caddie, Steve Williams.

“Stevie’s certainly not a racist, there’s no doubt about that,” Woods said in a packed press conference. “It was a comment that definitely shouldn’t have been made, and he certainly regrets that comment.”

Woods said he and Williams met face-to-face in Sydney, Williams apologized and the two shook hands.

The former world No. 1 was seemingly the last person to comment on the inflammatory insult that stunned many.

“My aim was to shove it up that black a———,” Williams said.

Although the event was billed as a bawdy roast in which all comments would be off the record, the racial comment—made into a microphone on stage, and in front of several players, media and others—made its way around the world quickly.

“It was hurtful, certainly,” Woods said. “But you know, life goes on.”

As for their relationship in the future, he added, “We’ll see what time does. As we all know time heals all wounds.”