In his first public statement, Steve Williams, Tiger Woods’ ex-caddie accuses him of treating him in a brutal manner akin to that of a slave.

Steve Williams, who served as Tiger Woods’ caddie from 1999 to 2011, may be familiar to you.

Williams wasn’t treated well despite being with Woods during his 63 PGA Tour wins and 13 major championship victories.

As stated by Williams in his book, this is not our statement.

A similar sentiment is conveyed by the story of his termination. Nonetheless, Williams had an unlucky encounter with Greg Norman even preceding 1999.

In 1982, while participating in PGA Tour competitions as well as events in Asia and Australia, Williams began serving as Norman’s bagman.

Having a good relationship with the greens is not necessary for a caddie and golfer’s partnership, contrary to popular belief.

In 2015, Williams released his memoir “Out of the Rough,” in which he discusses it.

“He claimed that the competitor, Greg, was always correct and acknowledged himself as a proficient caddy who rarely made mistakes in providing yardage. However, if he provided the accurate information but Greg selected an inappropriate club for his shot resulting in poor performance, it would be entirely attributed to him. Additionally, whenever this occurred on the course during their previous encounters together, not only did he receive criticism from Greg about being incorrect; rather vehement outbursts ensued.”

Although Norman may have been demanding of his caddie while on the course, it was their strong relationship that enabled Williams to gain a more comprehensive understanding of golf. In an interview with Graham Bensinger some time ago, Williams expressed gratitude towards Norman by stating: “I owe a lot to Greg…he gave me my first big break…my first job working for a high-profile player; he showed me the ropes.” It is possible that Norman’s strictness was motivated by concern for ensuring no errors occurred during play – only he can say for certain now.

Despite their tumultuous relationship, Williams and Norman remained a duo until 1989. Throughout their time together, Norman emerged victorious in eight tournaments, including the Open Championship of ’86. A decade after parting ways with his teammate, he found employment as Tiger Woods’ caddie only to experience similar ill-treatment from him by being treated like a slave.” When reflecting upon this period for an interview Williams stated that “One thing that particularly irked me was how casually he would toss his clubs anywhere near the bag expecting me to pick them up without regard for my feelings or well-being – it’s as if I were nothing more than they’re personal servant.”

In addition, Norman touched upon Woods’ treatment of Williams and noted that “I was aware of Steve’s demeanor, but Tiger confined him.” Later on, the PGA player dismissed Williams when he opted to serve as Adam Scott’s caddy despite prior arrangements. While it may appear that there were difficulties between Norman and Williams during their golfing endeavors together, matters off the field held a different story.

When Greg Norman wasn’t competing, he was referred to as “a wonderful guy”.

On the golf course, Norman held a strict demeanor towards Williams. However, off the greens was an entirely different story – even Williams himself expressed surprise at how kindly Norman treated him when they weren’t playing together. In fact, in his book he describes Norman as “a wonderful guy” who was always considerate and supportive to both him and his family; truly embodying what it means to be a good mate.

In addition, Norman referred to Williams as a sibling and declared, “We developed such a close bond – it was like having a little brother. He earned the nickname Polar Bear from my children due to his penchant for winter ocean swims. They adored him and considered him part of the family.” Throughout breaks in play, Williams frequently lodged at Norman’s residence; they also attended music shows together for leisure time.

It is noteworthy that Woods exhibited similar behavior on occasions. He generously gave Steve Williams ten cars that he had won in tournaments, a gesture which undoubtedly contributed to his impressive net worth of $12 million today. This success can be attributed both to Williams’ successful career as a caddy and author.