It was one of the most dominant partnerships golf has ever seen: 13 majors, over 80 wins, countless fist pumps, and a dynamic that was as fiery as it was formidable. One man walked every single mile alongside Tiger Woods during his meteoric rise from 1999 to 2011. He carried the bag, the pressure, and, occasionally, the blame. For over a decade, Woods relied on this caddie not just for yardages, but for battlefield-level intensity. The chemistry between them was electric. But as we’ve now learned, it didn’t start out that way.
In a refreshingly candid episode of The Yardage Book Podcast, legendary New Zealand caddie Steve Williams revisited the exact moment he met Woods, and the one small thing that instantly irritated him. Back in early 1999, Williams was in Miami for the Doral tournament, caddying for Raymond Floyd. Rumors were already flying: Woods had just split with longtime caddie Mike “Fluff” Cowan. Williams had barely unpacked when he started hearing murmurs about Woods’s vacancy. He paid it little mind, until a late-night phone call came through.
Throwback to this great story from Stevie Williams about Tiger Woods at the 2008 U.S. Open.
“F—k you Stevie, I’m winning this tournament.” 🔥 pic.twitter.com/3JVDs2cYsF
— Tour Pro 🏌️♂️ (@OfficialTourPro) June 7, 2025
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Thinking it was a friend playing a prank with a perfect Woods impression, Williams nearly hung up on Woods three times. “And straight away, he liked the sort of banter that went on right from that phone call,” Williams said, recalling Woods’s unexpected appreciation for his no-nonsense attitude. A few days later, he visited Woods at home in Orlando. And that’s when it happened.
“Straight away, it struck me as a bit odd—he called me Stevie. And I hated that. I don’t know why he said that, and I didn’t say anything to him, but anyway, he said, ‘Just come in, sit down. I’ll be right there with you in a minute.’” Yes, “Stevie” and not his actual name. A detail so small it sounds petty, but to a New Zealander like Williams, the familiarity hit a nerve. Still, he said nothing. Inside, Woods was glued to a war-themed video game, barely acknowledging his guest. But Williams didn’t take offense. Instead, he was fascinated. “I thought, while sitting there, ‘Man, if this guy is that intense playing a video game, what’s he going to be like on the golf course?’ It was unbelievable.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
The two eventually talked shop. Woods laid out his vision—not just to win tournaments, but to chase immortality. In his garage, Woods had a detailed side-by-side comparison of Jack Nicklaus’s career milestones and his own. “That was his ultimate goal,” Williams noted. “So, you know, I knew that was going to be a tall ask.” Williams didn’t immediately accept the offer. He weighed other paths, including returning to New Zealand to coach. But by the end of the week, he signed on. The rest is golf history. But as with many great partnerships built on intensity and ambition, cracks eventually began to show, especially when the wins slowed and the silence grew louder.
From loyalty to fallout
For a duo that racked up 13 majors together, Tiger Woods and Steve Williams couldn’t have ended on a colder note. By 2011, Woods was deep in the woods, literally and figuratively. Injuries, swing changes, and a global scandal had derailed his career. In the midst of this turmoil, Williams asked permission to temporarily caddie for Adam Scott, as Woods had no timetable for return. Woods agreed—sort of. Williams did caddie for Scott. But shortly after, Woods fired him via phone. No meeting, but just a call.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
The betrayal ran deep. Williams wasn’t just Woods’s caddie; he’d been his best man. “When [Woods] fired me, I thought he was firing me as a golf caddie and not as a friend,” Williams later told the New Zealand Herald. Their personal and professional split left Williams blindsided and bitter. Later that year, Williams sparked controversy with a racially charged remark about Woods at an awards dinner, something he quickly apologized for. Woods, for his part, accepted the apology but didn’t reach out personally for years.
It wasn’t until 2023, over a decade later, that the two reconnected privately. Williams revealed in an interview this year that they’ve since repaired their relationship. There’s no talk of reconciliation on the course, but off it, there’s peace. Time, as it turns out, does heal. Just don’t call him Stevie.
