“Unlike anything I've ever seen” - Steve Williams on Tiger Woods’ dedication to win
US golfer Tiger Woods is rightfully regarded as a legend. With hundreds of titles and multiple records to his name, the star has built himself a tall legacy.
However, the main question here is what distinguishes a great player from a good player. Talent is only one component of it, but what else makes greatness. What separates Tiger Woods from the rest of the field?
Well, his former caddie Steve Williams offered his opinion on the topic when he gave an interview to Graham Bensinger in October 2011. Despite the ugly public split between him and Tiger Woods earlier that year, Williams was all praise for Woods' mindset and training.
Bensinger asked Williams in what ways Tiger Woods was more talented than his competitors. The veteran caddie responded that he had never seen a determination quite like Woods. He added that although one cannot win every time, Woods still held the desire to be the best every week.
"Well I mean his determination and desire and drive is second to none. You know just the desire and the will to win and I've never come across anybody that just hates to lose. And I mean round second it's just an option. He just didn't like that. Of course you can't win all the time but just the desire, you know, to just do the best you can every week. Unlike anything I've ever seen."
Graham Bensinger referred to when the legendary coach and Tiger Woods' former swing coach Butch Harmon said that Woods' capacity to work exceeded any golfer.
Although agreeing with the statement, Steve Williams said that it was not the quantity but the quality of work that Woods put in that made him stand out.
"Yeah there are other players who've probably practiced harder and spent more time too. But just his way, he went about things, the array of shots that he would always practice. You know Tiger is notorious for hitting incredible shots. You know recovery shots and getting it up and down out of incredible positions and just hitting some amazing shots, you know."
Williams further said that commentators often called the mesmerising shots that Tiger Woods hit as lucky. However, that was not the case. Woods nailed those difficult shots because he practiced different types of shots consistently.
"The commentators would give a lot of emphasis on, you know, I mean 'That's a dangerous shot' (or) 'That's all that was a bit lucky' or you know 'That wasn't perhaps a shot you should try'. But you know he would practice all these different shots. I mean, you know, it's not like you just got in and trying to have a miracle shot. He would practice all these sorts of shots and surface."
To this answer, Graham Bensinger further asked whether Woods' splendid performances came from practicing differently and not necessarily from more hours of training since Steve Williams had previously stated that other golfers trained for longer than Woods.
Williams replied:
"Yeah just his method of practicing was a whole lot different to anyone else that I've worked (with). For just, you know, the way an array of shots. High shots, low shots, left to right, right to left, always hitting different shots and practicing different shots. So, you know, there was never a circumstance where he didn't believe he could hit the shot that was required sort of thing, you know."
So, it is safe to assume that the one thing that helped Tiger Woods stand out was how he trained more than how much he trained.
Why did Tiger Woods and Steve Williams split?
Tiger Woods has been through a couple of nasty splits in his personal and professional life. Whether it was him parting ways with then-wife Elin Nordegren or former swing coach Butch Harmon or former caddie Steve Williams, the news of his break-ups always created a stir.
Woods and Williams worked together for more than a decade, from 1999 to their split in 2011. At the time, Woods was riddled with personal and professional difficulties. His 2009 cheating scandal was still fresh in public memory. He had recently changed his swing coach and his style along with that and was battling injuries as well.
The golfer had taken a break from competitive golf. During Woods' time away from the golf course, Williams caddied for Australian golfer Adam Scott at the 2011 US Open and the 2011 Open Championship. This probably didn't sit well with Woods as he unceremoniously fired Steve Williams in July 2011.
Williams worked with Adam Scott till 2017. He is currently at the bag of Jason Day since 2019. Tiger Woods now works with caddy Joe La Cava.