There are a lot of Tiger Woods critics out there, but only a select few have an actual leg to stand on when it comes to dissecting the career of the best player in a generation. Woods’ ex-caddie Steve Williams falls into that latter camp.
Making the rounds for the hardback release of his tell-all book, Out of the Rough, Williams has been on airwaves all around the globe dishing on his book, his new boss, Adam Scott, and his new semi-retirement. Inevitably, however, Woods’ name is brought up in each and every instance.
For all the success Williams has had on the bag before and after caddying for Tiger — including stints with Greg Norman, Raymond Floyd, Ian Baker-Finch and Peter Thomson — his part in 13 of Woods’ 14 major championship triumphs will be his lasting legacy. And as one of the few confidants to have breached Team Tiger and be willing to tell the tales, Williams has become a kind of behind-the-scenes source for all things Tiger.
Talking with the BBC, Williams gave his most interesting interview of the tour, telling their Radio 5 Live Golf his thoughts on a Tiger comeback and whether or not he can win again.
“I don’t doubt he will come back to the winner’s circle,” Williams told 5 Live Golf. “He is a great competitor, he has an incredible work ethic – when he can work hard – and one thing he does know how to do is win. He has that ability to win even when he’s not playing his best. But whether he comes back and wins major championships? That’s going to be a very difficult task.
“I guess when he looks back, he might question some of the activities that he did, some of the gym work that he might have done that, you know, had all these injuries escalate.”
Later, Williams was asked about the way Woods worked out. From a distance, the reporter said, Woods appeared to work out more as a typical athlete as opposed to a specialized golfer. As such, athletes usually find that their bodies break down as they reach their late 30s, like Woods has come to experience. The reporter asked Williams if that line of thinking held any water in his opinion.
“It is very hard to pinpoint how he has got to where he is now, but I’d have to say there is a lot merit in what you’ve just said,” he said.
