Is Tiger Woods ready to fire caddie Steve Williams, Tiger says NO

[FENWAY]

Woods Says He's on Good Terms With Caddie

By Associated Press

May 7, 2003, 5:52 PM EDT


LOS ANGELES -- Tiger Woods blamed his caddie for persuading him to use a driver on the third hole of the final round of the Masters, where a double bogey derailed his chances of winning.

That doesn't mean Steve Williams is out of a job.

"Contrary to some reports, Stevie and I are getting along fine," Woods said Wednesday in his monthly online newsletter. "Stevie and I disagree about club selection all the time, but it's part of the business. Ultimately, it's my responsibility to pull the trigger. In that case, I just hit a bad shot."

Woods was three strokes off the lead in the final round. He usually hits a 3-iron on the 350-yard hole, but Williams wanted him to be aggressive and hit a driver. The ball wound up in the bushes, and Woods had to play a left-handed shot back to the fairway.

He wound up with a 75, his worst final round in a major.

"Stevie has done a wonderful job and we have a great relationship," Woods said. "And you know what? It's not the last time we're going to disagree about club selection."

Woods also got angry with Williams over club selection during the NEC Invitational last year at Sahalee. Tied for the lead in the third round, Williams talked him into a 6-iron instead of a 5-iron on the 17th hole. Woods came up short and made a bogey, and never regained the lead.