JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Australian Adam Scott is at Atlanta Athletic Club for the PGA Championship this week as a player who must feel extraordinarily comfortable with his chances, but simultaneously understanding he might be the least recognizable member of his player-caddie twosome.

Scott's caddie, Steve Williams, drew an inordinate amount of attention after Scott's victory Sunday at the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, because of his comments about his former boss, Tiger Woods.

Scott has since talked to Williams about the matter.

"We've had our chat about the whole thing, and he feels the way he feels," Scott said Tuesday. "Look, I just took what he said as confidence for me. If he really feels that that was one of his great wins, then you know, I'm kind of flattered. ... It all got a little out of hand, but we'll just go on from there.

"And hopefully, we'll let our clubs do the talking for the rest of this week."

Williams, who won 13 majors with Woods, said in an interview after Scott's victory it was "the best win I've ever had," and disputed Woods' account of his dismissal — saying it happened by telephone rather than face to face.

"It's very unusual for TV to put a microphone in front of a caddie's face," Williams told The Associated Press by telephone Tuesday. "There was a lot of emotion and anger that came out. It wasn't meant to offend anyone."

According to a story in The Orlando Sentinel, one observer noted Williams mentioned Scott once while using "I" or "me" more than two dozen times.

Williams was criticized for taking attention away from Scott, who tied for second at the Masters in April and used last weekend's four-stroke victory at Firestone to move from 17th to ninth in the Official World Golf Ranking.

"I certainly don't think that was his intention, to steal my moment at all," Scott said. "But he was asked these questions and he gave his honest answer, I assume, and with a lot of things to do with anything related to Tiger Woods, it's all scrutinized and blown out of proportion a lot of the time."

Woods arrived at the course Tuesday and played nine practice holes. He was surrounded by security guards afterward and did not speak to media. He has a news conference scheduled for Wednesday.

The four-day major tournament starts Thursday.

The pairing with Williams might be a good match for Scott, who sometimes comes across as a little too casual when he stands over the ball. There is nothing casual about his caddie, one of golf's most fiery characters.

"I'm a bulldog when I'm in the hunt," the 31-year-old Scott said. "But sometimes, I have a problem getting in the hunt."

Williams has been blunt with his new boss, telling him he has yet to live up to his massive potential despite 20 victories around the world.

"I do have a fire in my belly," Scott said. "But maybe he's going to help me keep it burning all the time. Right now, he's certainly bringing all of these things and keeping me motivated."

Note

• Woods, who returned last week from leg problems and tied for 37th in the Bridgestone, was struck in the leg with an easy practice chip hit by playing partner Arjun Atwal.

"Was that the bad leg?" Atwal asked.

"It is now," said Woods, smiling.