Look, we know that Steve Williams was toting the bag. We know that Tiger Woods finished in the shadows of Hennie Otto, Simon Dyson and Brandt Snedeker and was already in his plane on the way to Johns Creek. But had we lost Adam Scott in this melee? You know, the nice, young Australian who had just won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational? You know, the golf tournament. In Akron? Ohio?
We all knew that Stevie is no shrinking violet, but when he worked for Tiger Woods, you scarcely knew he was there, unless he was gruffly ordering some newsman or photographer out of his way.
In Akron, he spoke of the “most satisfying win” of his life. He did soften that a little to “the greatest week of caddying” in his life.
I’m not sure which he said first, but there were times around the finishing hole at Firestone when you weren’t sure who had shot the 65 and who was carrying the bag. Give Adam Scott credit, he went right along with his blustering bag-toter — Adam, a 31-year-old golfer savoring the juiciest moment in his career, with a smile from ear to ear, while Steve Williams played the lead. (Somewhere up there, or down there, Tiger Woods had to be getting an earful, and eyeful, and you could imagine how he was talking back to his TV.)
It was just a couple of weeks ago or so when I’d written that “Tiger Woods has found a way to win back some of his critics. ... When he fired his caddie, Steve Williams, he rid himself of a most irksome presence,” and thereupon related some of Williams’ wretched on-course repugnance.
Now, he came across in a different light, but to the point of taking over the act himself.
“Why is Williams suddenly ‘Mr. Media’ here after carrying Scott’s bag?” asked Paul Azinger, a former Ryder Cup captain.
“He has broken the unwritten caddie rule by talking to the press.”
Andy Roddick asked, “Was Steve actually playing, or am I missing something here?” (What’s a tennis player doing, crashing this scene?)
Critics were coming at the New Zealander from all points of the globe. Tiger has yet to be heard from and probably will rise above it, saving his response for the course at Atlanta Athletic Club. This can only have reinforced his resolve, as if he wasn’t coming into the PGA Championship with his last chance at winning a major this year. Strangest behavior between a caddie and his former employer that I’ve ever been witness to, and that goes for a golf world up to its ears in gossip.
Did you notice, that while the last hole was being played out, Williams was already stripping the flag from the standard to go with his collection of seven, provided by Tiger’s victories at Firestone?
Based on the usual caddie pay scale, his week of bag-toting had earned Stevie more than twice Woods’ winnings, which would come to about $58,000.
Which, I might add, would be of no consequence to either.
For once, the PGA Championship opens under a cloud of controversy, while a year ago at Whistling Straits it came to a controversial close. You recall, of course, the confused identification of what was a sand trap and what wasn’t. The old pros’ championship — remember, this is the only major off-limits to amateurs — is gathering some steam as it heads into another decade.
Retired sports columnist Furman Bisher writes occasionally for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
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