Team Tiger Roundtable

Team Tiger Roundtable

I work for the guy we all kind of work for the guy so you got to be a little careful how you put it in say it but I suggested that we go up there Sunday early maybe just go on nine holes well I got like a text back cause I’ll be there Sunday at 2 o’clock like it was his idea I think I threw up twice in the first six holes I couldn’t breathe all day that’s as nervous see this Tiger got a little bit in I thought Charlie just took off and you know that to me was the best part just to see him take off without me saying anything I love the fact that I’m watching him enjoy the process right now I’m just gonna dive straight in and say at what point did each one of you starting with Jerry think that this was possible for me was probably going back to the Tour Championship in 2018 not because he won just the way that he won you know playing with Rory was a world-class player going toe-to-toe with him in the last round and beating him and the rest of the field you know you got the sense that you weren’t at that moment thinking oh my guys you know what Gus cuz he won the Tour Championship but at that point he proved himself that he beat I think one of the best fields in golfing it was only 30 guys the fact that he put himself into the Tour Championship after being out for so long and you just you just saw this resolve in him and the calmness and patience that he exhibited for you know 20-plus years with him so leading up to the Tour Championship you knew that there could be some special things on the horizon once he could start to hit a draw with the driver then Augusta was back in to play and it started a little bit at the Tour Championship and then he sort of refined it a little bit more after that and the beginning of the season last year he started to hit the draw and he’d be on the driving range at medalist hitting high draws thinking about 13 you know shots like that where you have to have high draw at Augusta and you know he would sort of smile like you know I kind of have something here I can play there so that’s kind of when I knew it was there was a chance I mean those scenes the seems that Augusta were incredible but the scenes of the Tour Championship I mean talking about iconic scenes that that was insane and you were right in the thick of that how is that I was almost getting run over definitely in the thick of it it was awesome I just remember Tiger kind of looking back at me you know kind of give me the look like you know why are you hanging back and what are you doing and I’m hanging back same reason we talked about off camera but standing always hangs back because we don’t want to be part of the deal on 18 but he looks at me like you’re gonna get run over and trample you better get your ass up here so I did but it was fantastic I mean when you’re working you don’t appreciate as much when I got done and all the guys the caddies were up with the clubhouse and they were kind of filming it from from the clubhouse view and it was just awesome so we I looked at that video hundred times going over to Paris that night and still kind of gives me chills it’s pretty fantastic I remember looking out I was on we were all on the 18th Korean I remember looking out at the East Lake clubhouse and just players hanging out of the windows watching like it was just it was surreal I can’t remember who I saw but I just saw players literally hanging out there they weren’t gonna miss it they were missing flights to watch now in terms of I know he loves to prep early in advance of Augusta but really when did that planning start happening and physically what does that process look like do you guys sit down and talk about it and how does that work pretty much after the season’s over he starts thinking about a best day you know it was he was thinking about when to maybe play a practice round and looking at what you know potential tournaments to play leading up to it what would give him the best shot so that’s kind of always how he’s been it’s almost like once that last season ends the next event in his mind that he’s really trying to peak for is a custom so how does that early part of the season unfold for you in terms of signs or expectations in various events that he’s playing yeah I mean I think for me watching him you know the he actually had a few better starts to start date season versus the 19th season but he was he was just very consistent you know there were no miss cuts there wasn’t you know one week where he just struggled swing wise or you know short game or something it was all you know very consistent and then for me the thing I saw him sort of take another step was match play week you know again he played Rory I think that was good confidence boost he advanced out of the first round and he sort of dialed in his short game his short game I think Joe and I sometimes tend to get on him because we feel like he’s so good that if he can get up and down all the time you know the odds of him winning are so high and in that week he really you know started his short game really started to come together it’s wedge is really tidy holdout you know against can’t play one of the matches to win a hole and it just it started to I think change from there and then he just sort of brought that really tight short game into Augusta just two weeks later and you know that was critical Rob and I are always asked him to work on his bunker game because it’s like he started as a tends to blow that off a little bit more like come on let’s see some bunker shots and we’ll throw the whole bag of balls in there he may only hit six of them but we’re gonna give it our best effort have him work a little harder at that personally I’m gonna be honest with you I didn’t think he had played enough to have a shot at Augusta cuz even though like you say they played well at the match play half the times not even putting out at the match play so it’s not a stroke play event she’s not really finishing holes per se diamond I mean playing 18 holes and I think he only played four events maybe up before that I was surety they didn’t play yeah it didn’t seem like a lot of golf or enough golf to me just to have the tour reps and like I said day in and day out of work so I was a little bit skeptical just by the lack of you know real round so to speak but as it turns out it worked out fine now speaking of not having that many reps you were quite instrumental in getting him to go there a little earlier and there was a pretty special practice round you know I work for the guy we all kind of work for the guys you got to be a little careful how you put it and say it but I suggested that we go up there Sunday early and maybe just go on nine holes and chip and putt if nothing else I said number one there’s no crowd there which is the crowds great once the tournament starts I get a it’s nice to play practice run or chipping practice around with no crowd there he’s a lot more done and nobody’s watching nobody’s roughing you up no he wants a picture an autograph so we suggested that you know like Donnie says he took it to heart he didn’t you know a typical Tiger and even text me back there’s no answers right away but so I got like a text back four days earlier because I’ll be there Sunday at 2 o’clock where to go around the front 19 ship and fight Oh like it was his idea like okay great perfect I’m in in the early part of the week was there any income did he say anything that may give away that he felt it would be especially the vision and focus seemed a little bit different yeah but no he doesn’t say anything like yeah this is my week and let’s just be clear with something with Joe Joe doesn’t really love people so I could play you I could call him right now and play the voice message which you’ve already heard which is a it’s Joe leave a message if it sounds interesting I’ll try and get back to you if not probably won’t so I respect that that week of a/c everyone sees what happens on the go of course but what does it look like away from this what does he do he instructed me in 1997 fairly sternly instructed me in 1997 don’t bother me during major championships I have a plan I know I have a lot of sponsor engagements throughout the year but not those four weeks let’s go into that final day that Sunday how much of a different feeling did that have with the timings due to the weather that week because it was a lot earlier than otherwise would have been and how much did that play into that moment or occasion being a little bit more relaxed path for me I think you know we caught a big break in the fact that from twosomes to threesomes which put Tiger in the last group so that was first things first and then people were texted me they’re going like crazy because Tiger I just said on the air you got to get up at 3 o’clock to get that tee time and they’re like is that true is that true I said I don’t know exactly what time he’s gonna get up I said be honest with you he’s awake at 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning so I would much prefer to have a tee time at 9 o’clock because by the time the 3 o’clock in the afternoon tea tag comes which is normally what it is he’s been out for 12 hours you know he’s exhausted almost because he just does get up so early so I thought it was a break for us because like I said most most normal human beings sleep till 7 o’clock in the morning he just doesn’t do that so for him to get up at 3 and get ready for the round is kind of normal for him so it wasn’t that big a deal so I thought we had the advantage there so I thought it was great I thought that was the first big break of the day I for one I couldn’t breathe all day that’s as nervous as I’ve been I heard his mother Tita you know texted me I’m final round in jeopardy Sunday like you okay okay okay and I was so frickin far from okay I was yeah that was terrible I mean he’s you know he’s watching every shot he’s in the mix of it and I’m just sitting out there like you can breathe how you feeling you know I was surprisingly okay I think the the hard part was the beginning of the round you know he he struggled early and and it wasn’t terrible he didn’t shoot himself out of it but you know to me I was nervous until he kind of you know played made the birdie on seven and then not only did he make a birdie almost holed it and I think it just sort of you know when your top world-class player like that and almost a whole lot of shot to that difficult of a green I think you know like okay I got it just trust me you know trust myself and I felt like the rest of the round you know he trusted himself but I was really nervous it was for six all’s because I knew what an opportunity he potentially add and you know I really was hoping he didn’t get too far back I think I threw up twice joki how is it from your point of view you know anxious and excited to get the round going same thing Rob just hit and I think the fact that he made actually a nice 5 on the second hole he had a chip bottom he’s back there from 230 yards away hitting his third shot he’s got a hang in line with a four iron and he hits a great shot up there but he has an even better to putt so people you know people kind of forget about that you just really want to make bogey and number two and then he comes back with a nice birdie on three and then like you said four and five you know at the end of the world you’re gonna make bogeys on those holes some of the times pretty tough holes but to come back and make birdie on seven and eight and kind of get the you know ship right it was was fantastic then we go into the back nine you know I’m going in the back nine like we’ve talked earlier he’s been there a million times he’s gonna have his chances and opportunities Joe is a incredibly calming influence on Tiger he Joe not just on the golf course in life because we’ve gotten to know Joe really well as not just Tigers caddy but as one of our best friends he’s just he’s balanced in every single it doesn’t matter if you bogey four and five and then birdie seven and eight he just it’s the same way and it’s the same conversation it never gets anxious and I think that goes undervalued and under looked a lot because you’re out there five plus hours every day I think you know we’ve we knew Joe Joe and I’ve known each other for 25 years no way before the tiger days and it’s just such a great fit and mold that it means a lot and overdoing it with Tiger is is the wrong thing that’s you know like you can’t if you over caddie if you over coach if you kind of overdo anything it’s off-putting for him and job yeah and Joe is very much you know he’s gonna have the numbers do everything that needs to be done but that’s it you know he’s not gonna kind of go over the top and and that’s a perfect fit for fruit tiger which is very comforting you know especially when it’s you know I’ve gotten that look many of times will suggest you look something like I’m the biggest city no place around the final putts good and dizzy for you but really try and describe and it’s tough but try and describe what those moments were like and how you felt yeah you know it was it was very surreal to kind of be there and you know watch it happened and then even when the pollen in it was like did it really happened is this you know is this real sort of is it really over I think you know that’s what’s you know it was such a long road for him you know from oh wait I think you know all of us even though Joe wasn’t caddying for him in o8 I think all of us know we thought we’ll tiger will win another major you know pretty soon within the next few years if not next then the next season and he he should have you know a known I mean he should won at least one probably and so for it to go you know 11 years was just such a surprising thing that you know when it did happen you know it felt like it is it really over because it was sort of this journey for such a long time but you know then for me it was just great to get the bird’s eye view and see you know Charlie I was trying to kind of tell Charlie and Sam like you can’t run down at Augusta you know go on the green and and they were really good and they were hanging you know close and then as soon as Tiger got a little bit in I shot Charlie just took off and that to me was the best part just to see him take off without me saying anything it was just like bang that was awesome I felt like he was feeling this would be equally if not more important for his kids to witness this in person than it was for him and that’s when I broke down when I when he I was pathetic I was awful and I just manok be in there when he hugged her all and then Tita and then seeing this it just I don’t know I I know everybody said it’s full circle and that’s all that it just it was it was more emotional than I ever thought I would ever be when he had that part pot of eight or nine feet above the hole and then it has a little too much speed snacked crazy but a little too much speed I seem given he never does this gives him kind of like the the knee kick to try to Coast it in I think most of why of all the times is he trying to make a puppet he doesn’t have to he never ever does it and I thought to myself well he’s not trying to coax it in he’s he realized he’s hit it too hard he doesn’t want a two-footer coming back but as it turns out it was only this far but I’m so far up on the hill I think it’s a little longer than it is so I’m thinking to myself I’m not thinking he’s gonna miss it I’m thinking myself alright let’s just make this thing and get the hell out of here that was my thought when he won and then kind of what these guys said you know I’ve peaked at the back the green and saw the kids there and I thought that was fantastic and I knew was gonna get emotional for everybody and I thought that was great but again these I mean not that I’m Joe caddy but I feel like the job is not over we still gotta get in there to sign the card you always think about Augusta National that’s where it happens ever over right yeah now it’s much more thorough in there but I’m still thinking you know something you know something else is keeping his card he might be jacked up we could both have a score who knows you know what I mean so unfortunate I’m thinking all those things so I really didn’t enjoy until that cards in to be honest with you he is so no fun to be around during tournament week I mean there’s nothing fun about Joe LaCava during tournament week I mean it’s just like how’d he hit it today he he said hey he I don’t know if Tiger has ever had a better round or practice session than it was decent how was the celebration after it so what happened well you know what’s interesting is you know when you when you win at Augusta the that’s where the you know whole Butler cabin thing comes into play and they have the studio downstairs when they do the interview but it was great it was really nice and then the club brings you back inside for a little reception dinner and you know was kind of the end of it then we were on a plane we were home and I was like I brought out the trash Sunday night back at home I told my wife I was like I was like you know shocked right back into it you know Tiger has this thing and I’m back there midnight dragging the trash cans to the curb and then after everything has happened at what point did you take stock of everything I think later that night you know like Rob says it doesn’t really sit in your like even he made the putt and you know we won obviously was just still thinking did you really actually just win the Masters so I found out that night when I my wife and I actually went to Hooters what’s amazing no you don’t know this then we went you know what seriously because because what happened was it ended early so all the local guys were still there mean the local caddies were still there and so a couple of local guys were going over Hooters have a beer do you want to stop by and rob would say we know the local guys from playing the week before with these guys they’re all great guys sure I’d love to stop God is my witness there was 200 people in there they were all male and they all had a Titleist that on and I took a picture with everyone it was scary yeah I mean all in a nice wave was like real you guys got to get a like first of all you got booze you still got your golf clubs on you got your Titleist or Nike or Bridgestone or whatever tell him a lid on and Megan came with you there she did oh yeah she was a champ she watched me take 200 pictures it was unbelievable but that’s that’s what we did so I hung out with the local caddies not my guys were there but it didn’t matter we had a blast and then just kind of reminisce later that night and like Rob says by the time you know 10 o’clock rolls on you’re exhausted then it’s bedtime you’re done [Music] [Applause] my life no I understand but I mean the guys don’t worry listen my wife’s like oh yeah we go I don’t care just protest too much yeah so you guys obviously have been with him his best friends for god knows how many years you’ve seen the highs the lows in terms of what this did to change his legacy to change his whole story really how do you think about that and how do you feel about that I love the fact that I’m watching him enjoy the process right now I enjoy going through it and being so successful again and being happy about it and visibly showing that whereas maybe the first part of the ridiculous ascent to his career was results results results and I feel like he’s like now that the kids are old enough he’s just truly enjoying the process and visibly showing that to the world and to me that’s heartwarming you know the thing that was so unique about it and different about it now is like an o-5 woody one right Augusta dramatic when the chip-in against DiMarco a playoff I mean um all these scenarios that are just very drama induced and I remember calling him I’d left that weekend but I remember calling him and he was in the car ride going to the airport and we had texted earlier actually I don’t think we had texted thing is before text I called him on the phone and he answers and he’s like hey and I was like well congrats you know and he’s like thanks and then he’s like so we had that thing tomorrow right it was just in his mind he was it was already 3 or 4 hours and he was sort of half transitioned into it and was very you know he’s very grateful for the wind and thrilled for the wind but his expectations were so high and I think tab you know go through all that he went through and physically be so limited and you know think I may not play again competitively and then to have wanted you know it was a genuine sort of surprise and like you know happiness that you know was just different you know and and so that to me is what will make 15 you know maybe the most special I always sort of thought maybe Oh 8 was the most special just because of physically what he went through but it’s weird and I never thought anything could really replace it but you know 15 I think kind of dated just because you know he just wasn’t expecting it and I think he appreciated it so much more because you know it took so long to get there [Music] everyone’s talking about 83 now and the next major win opportunities as well what do you see is possible over the next year’s you know I think anything’s possible um you know stating the obvious he’s got to be healthy he’s got to stay healthy which i think he will I’m not a doctor but he’s doing the right things he’s working with the guys he’s taking care of his body York’s you know relentlessly before rounds after rounds just on his back and he doesn’t work in between so I think that can continue to go in that direction I think the sky is the limit looking forward of course you’re always thinking big things for the guy I mean why wouldn’t you after what he’s just done in the past year but going you know backing up just for a second I think when you said what’s what’s kind of been the difference here I think for me a big part of what I’ve seen is you know less is more he’s gotten much less mechanical he’s playing much more by feel he’s much more athletic and I think that’s when he plays his best you know he’s doing his own thing right now just playing by his athleticism which i think is fantastic and I think that’s what’s got him to this point along with his elf tiger and I talked about it you know it’s a marathon endurance sport golf tournament golf you know it’s not a sprint it is you know not some short-lived thing it it’s taxing and you have to be mentally prepared to do it for 30 hours that week and so you know for him it’s that you know just just a little bit of bumpers to kind of keep him you know in his own you know sort of lane but you know it’s him you know he he owns it it’s his game you know he’s kind of in control and you know we’re just there to kind of you know guide him just a little bit and I think he is so much better when he’s just kind of in control well I think it’s safe to say that history has been made a very exciting history and we’re also looking forward to an incredible future where it’s Tiger Woods anything is possible and we’re all excited to see how the future unfolds speaking of future unfolding I have been sitting in front of a plate of cheese for the last 45 minutes that is near impossible for me so I’m gonna dig in [Music]

Tiger Woods’ inner circle shares the stories behind his comeback victory at the 2019 Masters.