Exclusive: Steve Williams weighs in on future of ex-boss Tiger Woods

Many people are writing Tiger Woods off following news of his latest injury nightmare. His former caddie Steve Williams is not one of them.

Woods stunned golf fans yesterday when he revealed he had undergone surgery for a ruptured Achilles.

Whilst the 15-time major champion offered no timetable for his return to golf in his short statement, the prognosis for recovering from such an injury is not good, with the BUPA website stating that it “it might take a year or more” for an athlete to “get back to their previous level of performance.”

At 49 years of age, and with a catalogue of injuries behind him, that’s time Woods can ill afford. That, in turn, has prompted renewed calls from some onlookers for the former world No.1 to walk away from the game whilst he’s still physically able.

His former right-hand man, however, sees things differently.

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Williams, who spent 12 years on Woods’ bag between 1999 and 2008, helping him to 13 of his 15 major titles, has told bunkered.co.uk that it’s unwise to write-off his ex-boss, suggesting that he might still have one more marquee win left in him.

“There’s no question Tiger’s wired a bit differently than everybody else,” said the Kiwi. “In my mind, he would believe that, if he could get his body fully cooperative and able to practice, he would believe that he could still win a major championship.

“I don’t think he would have given up on that dream quite yet. I mean, it’s possible to win a major in your fifties. Phil [Mickelson] has already proved that.

“Tiger would know that he’s had periods of practice that is good as what he would call ‘tour material’. So, I don’t think he’s given up on that dream yet. But, of course, every time he has an injury or something that slows things down, it makes that journey longer.

Williams, whose new book Together We Roared is a detailed account of the time he spent working for Tiger, added: “I think everybody, including myself, was very excited anticipating what he might bring to the major championships again this year. He’s a captivating story.

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“He won’t go and turn up in a major if he doesn’t believe he can win. Last year, he obviously struggled big time in him, but inside himself, he would not have ended those tournaments had he believed he couldn’t win.

So, you know, it’s disappointing to see. If he doesn’t compete at all this year in the major championships, it’s a very tall ask to come back again and get yourself in contention. But we all live in fascination, because, you know, we just don’t know what this guy can do.”

Williams added that he believes Woods can win another major “if he can get his body 100% to where he can practice sufficient enough to compete.”

“He has the mental capacity and the drive to be able to do it,” he continued. “Tiger’s immensely fit. You know, take away the injury side of things, outside of that, he’s immensely fit.

“So, if he gets to the point where he can walk freely, and swing freely, and practice hard enough to win a tournament, there’s no reason why he couldn’t. He’s still got a two- or three-year window, I believe.”

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Together We Roared by Steve Williams and co-authored by Golf Digest’s Evin Priest is released on April 10, 2025, and available for pre-order now. Click here for details.

Michael McEwan is bunkered's Head of Content and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Head of Content