Tour News: Tiger Woods has apologised for comments he made during a television interview after the US Masters at Augusta National Golf Club last Sunday.
The world number one, who tied for third place three strokes behind winner Phil Mickelson, was criticised for using the term "spaz" to describe his poor putting in the final round.
"Tiger meant nothing derogatory to any person or persons and apologises for any offence caused," Woods' agent Mark Steinberg said in a statement issued on the player's website.
Bidding for a fifth green jacket at Augusta, Woods produced a display of uncharacteristically shaky putting on his way to a closing two-under-par 70.
He took 33 putts in the final round, including three three-putts and a pair of missed eagle putts from inside 10 feet on the back nine. Mickelson took 29 putts in a closing 69.
When asked about his play on the last day at Augusta, Woods replied: "I putted atrociously today. Once I got on the greens, I was a spaz."
Britain-based disability organisation Scope, formerly The Spastics Society, said of Woods' comments: "Once again, Tiger Woods demonstrates that we are two nations divided by a common language. Although in the US the term 'spaz' may not be as offensive as it is here, many disabled people here will have taken exception to his likening a golf stroke to that of 'a spaz'.
Woods' remark drew little attention in the US where spaz is a slang term for someone considered clumsy or inept.
Meanwhile, Frenchman Christian Cevaer beat the Beijing bunkers to shoot a six-under-par 66 and take a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the $1.8 million China Open.
Cevaer went out in the early morning chill at the Honghua Golf Club and set a target nobody was able to match, taking sole charge of the Asian and European tours co-sanctioned event.
Jose Filipe Lima of Portugal, Australian Jarrod Lyle and India's Rahil Gangjee looked capable of joining Cevaer in the afternoon, but Lyle and Gangjee ended up with 68s and Lima three-putted the 18th to drop to a share of second with a 67.
Joining Lima a shot off the pace were Simon Dyson, Ross Fisher and Simon Wakefield, Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and Swede Peter Hanson.
Dubliner Peter Lawrie shot a one-under 71, while Damien McGrane went round in level par.
Cevaer picked up a stroke by holing a bunker shot from 30 feet at the third and never looked back, sinking five further birdies in a blemish-free round.
"One of the keys for me today was my fine bunker play, because I got it up and down four times. I felt really comfortable with the bunkers," said Cevaer, who is looking for his second tour victory this week.
"It's a beautiful course. I am not a long hitter but have posted a good score so it is more about accurate iron play and finding the right distances."
Lima credited his new caddy with helping him keep calm. "My last caddy was with me more for a year and a half and, although he was good, sometimes he got more excited than me if I was doing well," he said.
Defending champion Paul Casey, who won the title just 137 days ago in Shenzhen, finished five shots off the lead after a 71.
