Okay, I know Tiger's win at the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach was a few years ago but I just read an article the other day in a golf magazine about how he almost "lost" the tournament. Yes, I know, he ended up winning by 15 strokes.
Anyway, it happened on Saturday morning finishing the delayed 2nd round. Tiger hooked his drive into the ocean on 18 and asked Steve Williams for another ball. Steve recommended that Tiger hit a 2 iron but Tiger insisted on hitting driver. Anyway, this is important because Steve found out it was Tiger's last ball when he reached into the bag. Apparently, Tiger had practiced putting in his room the night before and the next day, they only took 2 balls out with them. Anyway, the magazine article I read stated he would have been DQed had he lost his 2nd ball but I just found this article that states it wouldn't have been the case.
So, the worst that could have happened, given that they were playing 18, was the assessment of a two-stoke penalty, which would have cut his lead to four?
I wonder how Tiger would have reacted to Stevie's not checking the bag for balls before the round? Perhaps photgraphers everywhere would have been spared the fear of Stevie's wrath.
IMO Steve Williams is an idiot (is this word ok?) and should have been fired a long time ago. Anyone who puts up with his on course stuff is just as bad as he is. The PGA should step in when he is on one of his rants. Tiger should be fined big time for allowing this stuff to happen. Despite what they both think, Sir Williams is not security and Tiger is not God.
Take their egos down about 14 notches and watch what kind of respect Tiger would get. (this has nothing to do with Tiger's playing abilities).
Anyone who thinks this attitude is good for golf is dead wrong. "Sir Williams" is a caddy, nothing more. A good conscious player would have canned him long ago. Look at other players and what happens to their caddies for doing less than what he does on a course. But then his boss is Tiger and Tiger is allowed to do what he likes (throwing clubs/banging clubs in the ground/telling which fan or cameraman HE wants thrown out)??? Give me a break. That's up to security to do, not his caddy. Just in case Tiger doesnt know it - Golf was here long before him and will be here long after he is gone.
very strong views no back, and i guess everyone is entitled to their opinion, so heres mine :)
IMO the reason steve williams is still with tiger is down to complete friendship. steve seems to be great friends, almost best friends to Mr. Eldrick Woods, and has been since he started with tiger a few years ago. i'm sure they have had their rough patches, like all friends, but they have pulled through, also like all good friends.
I have no problem with that at all. I can respect their friendship. I know the preasure these guys are under. I see the cameras going off when he hits and I absolutely dont agree with that either .
But I don't agree that Steve Williams should not be fined and that Tiger should heavily be fined for allowing this to happen. Think about it, he throws a camera into a lake, yells at fans and cameramen, kicks cameras away from photographers doing their job (it was the wrong guy's camera that he kicked), goes into the crowd for more cameras. It's not his job. His job is attenting to all of Tiger's on course and practice area's needs. He is a caddy, not the police or the security.
We'll see what happens at the PGA with triple the fans for JD and VJ.
August 9th, 2004, 06:19 AM
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