Tiger Woods and Steve Williams worked together for years
Steve Williams worked alongside Tiger Woods during the most successful period of his career, before the pair’s relationship ended in controversial circumstances in 2011
Steve Williams, the former caddie of golfing legend Tiger Woods, has shed light on the tumultuous conclusion to their renowned partnership.
Williams was by Woods’ side during his heyday on the PGA Tour, collaborating from 1999 until their split in 2011. During this time, Woods reigned supreme in men’s professional golf, clinching 13 of his 15 major championships, including five Masters titles.
Despite their successful run, Woods chose to let Williams go after he collaborated with Adam Scott while the 82-time PGA Tour champion was on a hiatus due to an injury.
This decision coincided with a scandalous period in Woods’ personal life, as his extramarital affairs came to light, leading to the dissolution of his marriage to Elin Nordegren. Reflecting on the abrupt end to their professional relationship, Williams told the Daily Mail: “Looking back, I regret that a little bit but I knew following his return from the extended break, after the scandal, it just wasn’t the same as before.”
Following their separation, Williams found himself embroiled in controversy. After steering Scott to a PGA Tour victory in 2011 shortly after being dismissed by Woods, the New Zealander controversially described the triumph alongside the Australian as the “greatest” of his career, despite his previous major victories.
When questioned about his remarks made at an awards dinner that same year, he responded: “I wanted to shove it up his black —.” Despite the controversy, Woods dismissed any racist intent from his former caddie, but Williams continues to express regret over his comments.
“It was deeply wrong and I’m still apologetic,” the 61 year old confessed. It seems that despite their successful partnership, Williams’ relationship with Woods was often tense.
The 15-time major champion famously won the 2008 U.S. Open with a fractured leg and torn knee ligament, a victory marked by a heated exchange between Woods and his caddie.
“I remember our 10th hole on the Friday. Tiger was hitting off a cart path and I could actually hear this bone-on-bone noise from his leg. Sickening,” he recalled of the event at Torrey Pines. “I said to him, ‘Perhaps it’s time to give it away here’. And he told me to —- off, that he was winning this tournament, and ‘I don’t give a —- what you think’. Hey, he won.”
While Williams and Woods haven’t been in contact for a while, there doesn’t seem to be any animosity between them. “I don’t have any contact with Tiger,” the caddie admitted.
“The last time I saw him was a couple of years ago at a tournament and we bumped into each other in the hotel. We had a good laugh. Look, there’s no hard feelings – it just goes this way with players and caddies. “.
