Every so often, we see the importance of the bag-man, the golfer’s assistant on the course, the caddie.

Jim Furyk and Fluff, Phil and Bones, even Joel and Gino, the relationship becomes much closer than that of employer and employee, both working for a common goal and often together for longer than player and spouse.

• Related: Former major champ says Tiger had ‘an unprecedented equipment advantage’ in 2000

Of course, not all partnerships work out in the long term but whilst the team is together, there is an almost unspoken agreement of how much the player wants his man to contribute.

• Related: Tiger Woods once had a priceless reaction when asked if he’d ever heard of Tom Hoge

Some may be present to measure yardage, to give advice on the greens, or simply to be there should it all go awry, but the one thing all players comment on is the trust behind the relationship, particularly when in contention.

Over recent years very few player-caddie teams have struck a chord with the public more than Tiger Woods and Steve Williams, together for 13 of the 15 Major’s sitting in Tiger’s trophy cabinet.

In the first in a 13-part series of podcasts entitled ‘Chasing Majors’, the 58-year-old discusses the moment that the team really bonded, the episode ending with Tiger having ‘100% trust in me and I had 100% trust in what he was doing.’

Williams discusses how the relationship began before talking about the time Tiger was in contention to win his second major, the 1999 PGA Championship at Medinah.

The pair had reached the 17th green and were facing a vital par putt to remain ahead in the tournament. At this point, player and caddie disagreed on the break in the putt.

“When you play your practice rounds, you try and work out where you think the hole locations are going to be,” said Williams. 

“That just happened to be that I put a tee down somewhere close to that spot, and Tiger had putted from both sides. I distinctly recalled the putt didn’t break how you thought it did.” 

“One thing I pride myself on is that I say what I think,” stated Williams.

“It would have been very easy for me in that situation to say ‘yep, I think that’s right.’ If you said that, he’s not going to blame you because you saw it the same way I did.”

“But I told him, I said ‘no, Tiger, just trust me, that putt is left-to-right, just trust me.’ That’s exactly what I said.”  

“That particular moment cemented our relationship, and in my mind, I thought this relationship is going to be long lasting. That was a huge moment. I could have agreed with Tiger, he could have hit it there, and he may not have won the tournament.”

“Going forward, I think that was the moment Tiger had 100% trust in me and I had 100% trust in what he was doing. That was one of those defining moments in my career.” 

What followed enters almost legendary status, and the remaining podcasts are sure to provide more insight into one of the most successful golfing partnerships of all time. 

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