THE PHONE CALL The hotel room phone rang around 8pm on Tuesday, March 2, 1999, in Miami Beach, Florida. Its tinny, high-pitched buzz was particularly annoying for veteran golf caddie Steve Williams, an early riser who didn’t appreciate late-night calls at the best of times, certainly not the day after he’d landed from a 20-hour, 12 800-kilometre journey from Auckland, New Zealand. Williams was slumped over the bed, half asleep but trying to stay awake until nine in an attempt to thwart jet lag. Normally, he’d stay at the house of his boss, golf star Raymond Floyd, in nearby Indian Creek Island, but it was full of guests. They were in town to watch Floyd play his home event, the PGA Tour’s prestigious Doral-Ryder Open. Reluctantly, Williams picked up the phone. After all, it could be important. “Steve . . . Hey, it’s Tiger Woods!” an excited, young voice said. “Bob, f—— off, mate. I’m going to bed,” Williams responded. Annoyed, but chuckling at the accuracy of the imitation, Williams hung up. He thought it was a prank call by his friend in Oregon, Bob Garza. Williams had a house in the SunRiver Golf Club com- munity in central Oregon, where Garza was one of the club’s golf professionals. He did an outstanding Woods impression. The phone rang again. “Steve, it really is Tiger. You got a minute?” Crunch. Williams slammed the phone down again, more forcefully. It rang a third time. “Steve, it’s Tiger! Please don’t hang up!” the exas- perated voice said. “I’ve split with my caddie. I’d love to talk to you about possibly working for me.” Williams’ stomach sank; maybe it wasn’t Garza. Maybe it was Woods. Feeling silly about hanging up twice on the world’s No 1 golfer, Williams apologised instantly and arranged to meet Woods as soon as the Doral tournament was finished. (Years later, Woods would remember the awkward phone calls when he met Garza face-to-face during a practice round at the 2002 New Zealand Open. Williams had arranged for Garza to play a practice round with Woods, who said to a starstruck Garza, “So you’re the guy who can take off my voice?”) THE FIRST MEETING On Monday, March 8, Williams drove three and a half hours north up I-95 to Woods’ house in Orlando. At the entrance to Isleworth Country Club, a gated community within Windermere, 22km southwest of Orlando, Williams was asked to show his driver’s li- cence to security. He weaved through streets of mul- timillion-dollar homes en route to Woods’ house: a gorgeous, oak-lined property on a cove on Lake Bes- sie. Woods’ neighbours included baseball legend Ken Griffey, Los Angeles Lakers centre Shaquille O’Neal and Hollywood star Wesley Snipes.
Considering all the time Tiger Woods and Steve Williams spent together during a dominant dozen years, it’s stunning how little they’ve communi- cated in the 14 years since their highly publicised breakup. That’s one of the lasting impressions one gets when reading Williams’ new book, Together We Roared, which is written in the third person with coauthor Evin Priest. At long last, Williams opens up about one of the most successful partner- ships in sports history. The New Zealander caddied for Woods from 1999 to 2011, playing an important role in 13 of Tiger’s 15 career major championship titles. Williams was Woods’ literal shoulder to cry on at one of those majors, the 2006 Open Champi- onship, when Woods won for the first time since his father, Earl, died. They shared a strong bond that extended well beyond the golf course with Woods serving as the best man in Williams’ wed- ding. However, they didn’t end on good terms with Woods firing Williams, primarily for going against his wishes by continuing to caddie for Adam Scott while Woods was injured. Williams made the situation worse with a racist remark a few months later at an awards dinner. Williams apologised, but that was pretty much the end of their relationship. Now with so much time hav- ing passed, Williams fondly looks back at what was overall a magical journey alongside one of the game’s greatest. Here are five select passages from the book’s first chapter that detail the duo’s early days together. – ALEX MYERS
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