Steve Williams: Life with Tiger
What went wrong at Hazeltine
So what's in the mind of Tiger Woods as he approaches the final nine holes of big tournaments? Just a few days after the dramatic final day at the US PGA Championship at Hazeltine National, Tiger Woods’ caddie, Steve Williams, spoke to former Aussie bagman Bruce Young about life on the course as the World No.1's companion. After Woods had lost out to YE Yang, Williams was asked what his mood was like. | |
"He was very disappointed so really there was no need for us to talk about it. It was a difficult loss for Tiger so it's not something you don't bring up straight away. It's probably something we'll discuss before the Presidents Cup next week." Could Williams put his finger on what went wrong? "He played solid all four days but it went flat a bit. He could have won if he'd putted average but to my mind he played three weeks in a row and I think it caught up with him. I suppose it's inevitable that his run of leading major tournaments and never losing, he would come unstuck. "When I'm not working with Tiger I don't watch much golf on Sundays but I spoke to a few guys and they say few players [in the lead] hole any putts of any length on Sundays. So I supposed it wasn't unexpected," Williams revealed. "There was heavy overnight rain, so a lot of spike marks on the greens. You miss a couple, like on the first when we both misread it, and you get defensive. Those putts are usually automatic for Tiger." What happened at the 17th [where Tiger and Yang both made bogey fours]? | |
"The club was 7-iron and when it left the clubface I said in my own mind it was within a 10-foot radius of the flagstick but it went through the back." What can you recall of the shot at the 16th that won him the WGC "I suppose I was a bit lucky with that one. Sometimes in a round you have to sense the moment and I told him I thought this was the time. The yardage was for a 7-iron but the flagstick was on the front and I said if he hits 8-iron hard and aims at the stake about 15ft left of the hole it was the right club. He hit a great shot but [with my call] there was a bit of luck involved." Apart from his putting what are the key things that makes Tiger stand out? "One thing he has worked on most is a consistent ball flight. He has three different types - low, medium and high. He can dial them in but previously he didn't have that. He also reminds himself on a daily basis about not dipping his head in his backswing." |
