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Caddie Steve Williams had informed the world that he plans on retiring from the professional life when the 2014 season started. Williams is 50 years old now and looking to spend more time with his family in New Zealand. Many will comment about what Williams will do next but that will not be an issue. Williams spent 11 years caddying for Tiger Woods and the last three and a half years caddying for Adam Scott. In that time, he helped Scott reach the status of number one in the world. The roll of a caddy should never be understated but is often overlooked.
Williams said he is open to a part-time roll in 2015 and possibly beyond. He is just done with the grind that comes with being a professional caddy. After all, he has been on one bad or another for 36 years. When asked about the decision, Williams commented:
“At the end of the day, I’ve known in the back of my head that retirement or taking a break from caddying was on the horizon. I’ve done it for 36 years.
I just came to the decision that it’s time to take a break. It allows me to spend summer here in New Zealand and spend more time with my family.”
Williams did leave the door open for a return to the bad of Tiger Woods mentioning that he is someone that Williams “would consider.”
That would be an interesting pairing and one that I am not sure both would want. Love him or hate him, Tiger Woods comes with an ego. Not surprising being one of the best players to ever play the game and a media magnet since he was a child. Williams is not slouch in the ego department either. For those that do not remember the breakup it occurred around the 2011 US Open.
It revolved around Williams agreeing to caddie for Adam Scott when Woods was nursing an injury. According to Williams’s accounts, Tiger had no issue then changes his mind. Williams did not come off of Scott’s bag and that led to the firing. The debate is more over how it happened. Williams has always claimed it was over the phone while Woods claims it was in person. The rational for the firing has always been of debate but this does show that the two were not exactly clicking on all cylinders at the end of their partnership.
I just cannot see how either would want to team up again. It just doesn’t make sense unless Woods feels he needs Williams to return to the top. More will follow as the months roll on but one thing is sure, Williams will be at most, the Steve Stricker of caddies.