Tiger Woods’ caddie for 13 years, Steve Williams, has penned a tell-all book. Out of the Rough hit the shelves this morning, and I’ve made my way through it and pulled out some of the juiciest morsels for your enjoyment.
Of course, there’s much more in the book, including humorous illuminations of the Woods-Garcia conflict and the Woods-Mickelson-Williams beef, so I suggest plunking down $14.38 for the Kindle edition.
Here are some of the best items.
Williams asked for Tiger’s autograph the first time he met him. He really did hang up on Tiger the first time Tiger asked him to be his caddie, thinking it was a friend prank-calling him. “I’ve just parted ways with my caddy and I want to know if you’d like to come caddy for me,” Tiger asked him.
“Can you wait a minute? I’ve just got something I need to finish.” Woods greeted Wiliams at the door of his Orlando home, but made him wait while he intently finished up a video game. Woods was so focused it was as if he were in a “trance.”
Williams acknowledges Woods’ chief swing flaw throughout his career was getting “stuck,” which often resulted in the big block to the right.
Williams thoroughly dislikes Sergio Garcia, primarily because of his conduct at the 2012 Players Championship when Sergio was “loud, abusive, bad-tempered” and “threw his clubs.” He also dislikes Vijay Singh on account of the fact that the latter has never fessed up to his 1985 cheating incident.
Tiger avoided locker rooms and kept his gear in the trunk of his car, worried that someone would tamper with his putter.
“Tiger felt Butch was trading on his name, taking advantage of their association.” Instead of telling Harmon this, however, Woods merely iced his teacher out. Williams believes Tiger’s only hope of salvaging his career is returning to Harmon. Harmon would “make the rescue plan quicker than anyone else.”
Williams problem with Phil Mickelson: “He thinks he knows everything. He lords over people.”
Woods’ desire to quit golf and join the Navy SEALs surfaced early in the 2000s. “I’ve had enough of golf,” he told Williams. “I’d really like to try to be a Navy SEAL.” His love for the SEALs manifested as an almost “god-like adoration,” according to Williams. The obsession is the route of his muscle-building focus in the gym and, which has contributed to Woods’ many injuries, in Williams’ mind.
Williams once let Kevin Na have it over slow play saying “You’re the most inconsiderate player I’ve ever met in my life.”
Williams maintains he had no knowledge of Woods’ illicit activities. “Only a handful of his oldest buddies actually had any idea this was going on. I didn’t know because Tiger didn’t dare tell me….he knew my values and that I would have zero tolerance…that would be the end of us.”
Williams “repeatedly asked for Tiger’s management to release a statement that would clear me of any involvement.” They wouldn’t. And neither Woods nor Steinberg nor “his lackeys” kept Williams in the loop as the scandal was developing.
Woods finally contacted Williams and was “open, honest and remorseful.” Williams says he had “no sympathy” for Woods, although he appreciated the call and set up a face-to-face to further clear the air. In this meeting, Williams let Woods know he was furious about being “dragged through the wringer” and was angry about the scandal’s impact on his family. He also indicated his furor with Team Woods for their “total lack of communication” and unwillingness to absolve him publicly. Williams asked Woods to behave better on course as well in his return.
As foolish as it may have been, I allowed myself, given his modified behavior and an OK game, to believe the old Tiger could genuinely change his stripes. That hope lasted 48 hours, before Mark Steinberg brought everything tumbling down again. We were walking from the media centre to the practice range when Steinberg told Tiger that if he wanted to win the tournament he had to ‘stop being a nice guy’ and go back to being his old self. I couldn’t believe my ears. After all that Tiger had been through, and the fact that he had made a public commitment to a less snarling and aggressive Tiger, that he’d promise me he would reform his bad habits, his main advisor was telling him the opposite. This was the moment in time when Tiger had a chance to turn his image around. It was the perfect opportunity to create a new Tiger — a fan-friendly Tiger who would sign more autographs, interact more openly with fans, be less surly with his rivals, more communicative with those around him — so to hear those words from Steinberg floored me. Right then, something inside me changed. A brick in the foundation of my relationship with Tiger had been prised loose. My immediate thought was, I’m not sure I’m going to be around much longer.
When Woods returned at the 2010 Masters, “people all over the world, including his rivals, had lost their respect for him, were no longer in awe of him.”
Team Woods flip-flopped about Williams caddying for Adam Scott while Tiger was out with injury. During the course of Mark Steinberg attempting to convince Williams not to carry Scott’s bag, Williams got a text from Steinberg that was meant for Woods saying “I’ve talked to Steve. I think I’ve persuaded him not to caddy for Adam.” Things then got “a little bit ugly,” and the partnership was dissolved via text message, although Woods would later say he and Williams parted ways face-to-face at the AT&T National.
“The way this circus played out, and the way he’d failed to live up to his promise to change his character, had diminished my respect for Tiger and undermined my enthusiasm for his goals and dreams. Yet I’d stood by out of loyalty…But when I asked for a show of loyalty from him, when I asked for him to do something for me as a friend—he let me down…There was nothing there. No support, no friendship.”
When Scott and Woods were paired together at the Open Championship at Muirfield, Williams attempted to make conversation with Woods, which was met with curt replies. When Woods didn’t open up or inquire about Williams’ own family he realized, “I had been excommunicated.” And that, “people he [Woods] once held dear were now nobodies…It was the first time in 36 years as a caddy that the end of professional relationship had spelled the end of a personal relationship.”
The final word on Steve and Tiger: Williams will never forgive Woods and his team for not “clearing his name” during the sex scandal. “The fact hat he couldn’t do that caused a lot of grief for my family and me,” Williams said. “That he couldn’t do that for someone who had been loyal to him for more than a decade…there’s something not right about that.”
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Jeff*
Nov 20, 2015 at 5:02 pm
Why do old white folks, mostly “christians,” have such a rabid dislike for Tiger? Did he force you to integrate your country club? The guy was flat out so good. His caddie is mad at him? And you’re all sure Stevie Williams is morally exactly how he reports, even thougo he has “zero tolerance” but “was willing to stay on out of loyalty.” Means his sense of morality is for sale. Now, nearly 7 years after the white escalade the caddie has to get his side out, for the millionth time, after racist jokes, after acting as though winning the Bridgestone was the best win of his career(among 13 majors). The guys a narcissist. He loves the spotlight, don’t believe different.
Todd
Nov 16, 2015 at 8:52 pm
PGA Tour caddies are like mafia dons………………..better outside the public spotlight.
Gorden
Nov 13, 2015 at 6:44 pm
News flash for Steve Williams and all you golf fans, if Tiger Woods did not do it his way he never would have been the player he is (or was for some of you). Mr. Williams and golf fans alike can dream of Mr. nice guy but that is not the Woods that has become one of the best players ever….Tiger did his talking with his clubs not his hand shake and autograph.
Doug
Nov 9, 2015 at 10:44 am
Hard to feel bad for a guy that made millions of dollars carrying a golf bag. Be grateful and shut up.
allan
Nov 7, 2015 at 1:30 pm
Both have been misguided….no?
RJ
Nov 7, 2015 at 12:27 am
I am gonna go back in time…. 2003-2008, I lived in South Florida and spent a lot of time in Orlando playing at many of the best tracks in the area. Playing at Tiger’s old ball park one afternoon, with a then prominent Champions Tour/ PGA Tour winner, a retired MLB pitcher and a former Arizona Cardinal football player. Sitting in the Isleworth men’s grille post round. The tour player is telling us one of many stories about 2 phones that were possessed by the book’s author. In the hood ” ya man holds for ya”… In english Stevie held the “Tiger hot line” and Elin called on the other phone. The “smash pad in Altamonte far away from Isleworth she knew nothing about it. So Stevie needs to stop the the “Babe in the Woods routine”, said in my best voice from the movie “Good Fellas”
He is not a victim here… Unless your wanting to get on the Best Seller list!
Todd Spenla
Nov 6, 2015 at 3:15 pm
Steve Williams was Tigers Caddy and employee. Stevie who all we got to know Stevie Williams through Tiger Woods a caddy is supposed to pick up the club wash the ball carry the bag and be the golfers personal assistant Williams was paid and should be glad that he got to be a celebrity caddy because of Tiger Woods it is despicable that he is writing a tell all book exposing confidentiality and personal details about Tiger i’m sure Adam Scott feels really great that he could be the next book year was the best golfer that lived 14 majors Steve Williams should be ashamed of himself and blackballed from the PGA tour.
Stevie Williams what part of caddy don’t you understand caddies at country club clubs hang out in the Caddy shack not the clubhouse
Andy
Nov 4, 2015 at 9:09 pm
I completely …. Wholeheartedly agree with this. I think the person who helped Tiger be an a$$ around people and his competitors is Mark. He probably is the slimiest of all.
Tiger did not have anyone “to prove” to, once his dad passed away and I strongly believe that Mark S paved the way to Tigers decline by giving him wrong advice. He made money for Tiger, yes, but he is surely one of the biggest cause of his decline (or dare I say demise).
CairnsRock
Nov 4, 2015 at 8:37 pm
I think he doth protest too much. I think Stevie knew that something was going on. You don’t have a daily relationship and travel with someone without being able to read between the lines.
Tell alls are scummy. Nobody comes out looking good. He is willing to trash the guy who paid him $10m. Stevie sucks.
Matty Ice
Nov 6, 2015 at 8:43 am
I lose all respect for people who write tell-all books. Just because you can say it, doesn’t mean you should. Golf longevity is a double edged sword. Arnie and Jack should live forever. Tiger, Williams, Haney, Garcia, etc…it’s time for them all to just go away.
Verne
Nov 4, 2015 at 2:35 pm
Hard to accept statements as fact that appear in the Williams book and I am sure they are embellished for marketing purposes. I am not sure why he chose to enter the journalistic field other than another opportunity to pad his bank account, an account pretty much established as a result of his years with Tiger. A previous comment regarding two Alpha 1 personalities in conflict is on the money, (no pun intended). Tough to avoid difficulty when two of this type are on the same ‘team’, especially when one is the subordinate.
joro
Nov 4, 2015 at 12:43 pm
You Tiger lovers are pitiful, the guy is nothing but an arrogant POS. Steve was good for him and did what Tiger wanted him too. He has the same right to comment of his feelings as you do. He is a good guy, and I know him and can say that in all honesty. As well as what Tiger is. But what you don’t know is what he didn’t put in the book, and it is plenty.
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Steve
Nov 3, 2015 at 9:15 am
I dont know why Williams thought he was more then a employee of Tiger Woods Inc.. A personal assistant for a golfer more or less. Why would Tiger owe him anything more then a paycheck and it was a nice paycheck. Show up, shut up and keep up, what happened to that? He says that only a close circle of friends knew of the affairs, Notah Begay, and he didn’t know. So he wasnt a close friend. Tiger told him to kick rocks he felt like a broken hearted teenage girl. He and Haney felt betrayed but they were nothing more then employees that got fire. He and Haney still trying to cash in on working for Tiger.
vince guest
Nov 3, 2015 at 2:06 pm
This is funny as this is exactly what a selfish,egotistical Tour Pro would say.
Steve
Nov 3, 2015 at 4:28 pm
Maybe you dont realize that pro teams are built to win. Not to make friends. Tell Williams to give back the millions he made working for Tiger. I am sure Tiger will send a Christmas card then. There are alot of great teams and businesses made of people that arent friends outside of it.
Brandon
Nov 4, 2015 at 10:45 am
Name 10 championships won without off field camaraderie but are BUILT TO WIN( I can think of a few) and I will name 20 that did win without being the best assembled team and would’ve failed without it.
Steve
Nov 4, 2015 at 4:31 pm
Kobe lakers(5), reggie jackson A’s(3), 70’s yankees (2) three teams 10 championships easy pizy
8thehardway
Nov 3, 2015 at 6:08 am
Remember when Jaimee Grubbs released that racy text message from Tiger saying “I’m gonna wear you out” … Nike didn’t make it the theme of their new line of golf apparel, so at least they showed some restraint.
Square
Nov 3, 2015 at 4:45 am
I believe several of Williams’ gripes were legit even though I’m a fan of Tiger Woods. I really was a fan of both guys. Now I question the timing of this book and now Williams looks like and opportunist to me. When people write books like this, to me, it just highlights the an ugly human character flaw…..greed.
The Infidel
Nov 3, 2015 at 4:31 am
Tiger Fan Boys are going to have a real hard time diluting the most recent accounts of TW the man.
I was going to suggest that worshippers will try and pull SW down, but I see that’s already started. Shame.
Steve
Nov 2, 2015 at 10:55 pm
He treated me like a slave!
mo
Nov 2, 2015 at 8:26 pm
I like what he supposed said to Kevin Na. 🙂
Maybe Kevin got the message? He seems to be better now.
golfiend
Nov 2, 2015 at 6:48 pm
Woods is not the first person who is actually fake (Nike marketing) and somewhat of a jerk (there’s plenty of anecdotes from many people about that) but is also one of the best in his game. In this sense, he was no different than someone like Ted Williams. That said, he was also a transcendent figure as a black golfer in a mostly exclusionary sport and he did alot to change the sport by making it more athletic and more mainstream. But on a private personal level, he is someone that most people would dislike.
John K
Nov 4, 2015 at 12:30 pm
Amen…nothing more needs to be said! Well put!
Dean Tipping
Nov 2, 2015 at 5:45 pm
“The Cat” is finished and has been for over a year. Any notion that he’ll come back and be as good as he was is purely delusional. You can’t change your swing that number of times, have the injuries he’s had and is still having and you can’t miss fairways that wide hitting “chief” and expect to win the big tournaments. He might get away with it at Augusta because let’s face it, you can hit it anywhere there and score if you putt the dots off it. At The Open this year he’s hitting irons off the tee while everyone else is bombing “chief” and flicking in wedges going out the front nine. The course was wet so the run wasn’t there like it was when he used that strategy to great effect all those years ago. Did he completely miss-read the conditions or has he zero confidence in hitting “the big stick”? That should have been the first question asked by the media. Thankfully we have a new “Big 3” that will perhaps do as much for golf if not more than “The Cat” did. Time to leave the poor bugger alone so he can get on with his life.
Cons
Nov 2, 2015 at 4:54 pm
“Only a handful of his oldest buddies actually had any idea this was going on. I didn’t know because Tiger didn’t dare tell me….he knew my values and that I would have zero tolerance…that would be the end of us”
… Finds out in 2009, caddies for him for 2 more years anyway…
Zero tolerance, huh?
DJ
Nov 2, 2015 at 4:46 pm
What’s the big deal about clearing his name? Why is he so obsessed with it? It wasn’t him having the affairs. What a weird guy
alexdub
Nov 2, 2015 at 6:07 pm
Because it has been a few years, we seem to forget the circus this was. For nearly a year, Williams was in the daily news cycle and associated with the deception. It’s easy for us to say, “Who cares?”, but it wasn’t us who had to handle the skepticism and distrust from family and friends. Have you even been accused of something you didn’t do?
All Tiger had to say was, “Stevie didn’t know”. It would have ended the mistrust, and it would have taken the burden off of the Williams family. We can’t be aware of the toll, even indirectly, the situation had on Stevie and his family.
Jack Nash
Nov 7, 2015 at 11:09 am
Well said, and I suppose the anti Steves, are the same as the anti Hanks that came out when he wrote his book a couple of years ago. Some sure get their panty’s in a knot when their favorite doesn’t look as pure as they would seem to think. Besides, the last time I looked it wasn’t illegal for someone to write a book about somebody else to make a few bucks.
Guru
Nov 2, 2015 at 9:11 pm
I agree. Not once in any article, video, report, etc do I remember hearing Williams name. I don’t recall Tiger ever dragging his Williams name through the mud either. This guy gives himself too much self-importance. He needs to get over himself, cuz nobody cares.
Jaxson876
Nov 3, 2015 at 11:04 pm
Indeed. So why does he need to have Team Tiger clear his name for his family?
Not that I’m a fan of Tiger as I am not but please Steve doesn’t your own family know you better than that?
Lame.
Brandon
Nov 4, 2015 at 10:35 am
according to the book, New Zealand newspapers was running him through the ringer and a radio station too. He would be shopping with his family and people would approach him claiming he was just as big of a piece of dong as Woods.
I would want myself to be cleared too.
allan
Nov 7, 2015 at 1:26 pm
well said!!!
Jeff*
Nov 20, 2015 at 4:50 pm
Narcissism
Classy
Nov 2, 2015 at 4:45 pm
When two type A personality narcissists get together, there be sparks yo! I’m surprised the space-time continuum remained intact with these two together.
Guru
Nov 2, 2015 at 9:12 pm
Lol
Lee Payne
Nov 2, 2015 at 3:26 pm
has there ever been two people more deserving of each other than these two?
TWGDF
Nov 2, 2015 at 3:16 pm
What does this have to do with equipment in any way shape or form? May be WRX needs to re-name itself the TW-Golf Daily Fail
derek
Nov 2, 2015 at 1:48 pm
Just a shame that he would write about any of it. Not professional at all. Thumbs down Stevie for profiteering like this.
nolanski
Nov 2, 2015 at 1:36 pm
I know Tiger’s a jerk but he was a Golf God from 1997-2008. And I feel lucky to have witnessed it. NEXT…
Dr Troy
Nov 2, 2015 at 1:32 pm
AGREED!
John Triscott
Nov 2, 2015 at 1:19 pm
EDIT: Woods 1st tourney after scandal was the 2010 Masters. Not 2009.
Andrew Prezioso
Nov 2, 2015 at 2:13 pm
Thanks for the heads up, John
Lincoln
Nov 2, 2015 at 1:04 pm
Sounds very similar to Haney’s book.
rockflightxl1000
Nov 2, 2015 at 1:01 pm
Wants to be absolved of any involvement in Tiger’s transgressions. Perhaps donating all the money he won w/ Tiger would have a greater societal forgiveness impact than writing a book. #doubtit!
spazo
Nov 2, 2015 at 12:38 pm
he sounds like a whiny jerk. he and tiger deserve each other.