"And then Tiger told me, 'We're done for the year.'"

ESPN.com's Wayne Drehs, who profiled Steve Williams earlier this year, managed to get Tiger's caddy to offer some insights into last week.

When the golf cart departed the seventh green at Torrey Pines on Monday afternoon, carrying Tiger Woods, Steve Williams and both of their wives to the U.S. Open trophy presentation, the caddie knew his season was over.

"I kind of had a premonition that might be it," Williams told ESPN.com Wednesday night. "I had an inclination that a certain surgery might be required. And then Tiger told me, 'We're done for the year.'"

And...

Once on the course, Williams said he spent most of his time encouraging Woods who, despite grimacing, not once complained to Williams that he was in pain.

"Tiger never complains. That's one of his greatest attributes," Williams said. "If he's prepared to play in a tournament, he's going to take the consequences. I'm a bit of a fast walker and there were a few times that he told me to slow down a bit so he could walk at my pace, but that was it."

This really surprised me. Maybe it explains that extra spin Tiger managed to put on the ball.

On the 72nd hole Sunday, needing a birdie to force a playoff, Woods hit his tee shot in the bunker and left his second shot in thick rough 101 yards from the pin. It was there that Williams believes he had one of the greatest calls of his career, encouraging an exhausted Woods to use his 60-degree wedge, a club he usually hits 85 yards, for his approach from 101.

"While he was standing over that ball, my heart was beating pretty hard," Williams said. "But I figured he only had one chance -- to hit that 60-degree club as hard as he could and squeeze a little more distance out of it. And that's exactly what he did. It landed just beyond the pin, had some spin on it and came right back towards the hole."

Comments

[Martin Del Vecchio]

I think some time lapsed between the "cart departed the 7th green" part and the "We're done for the year" part.

I don't think Tiger said that in the cart.

[MacDuff]

Enjoy the recuperation Tiger, thanks for the drama, get well soon. Come back and win the Masters.

[thusgone]

i wonder how tiger will take the stevie quote about his "greatest call ever." it was my impression that tiger doesn't like it when anyone on the team attracts too much attention to themselves.

[Truthsayer]

Yeah, let's hope Tiger returns with a new caddie. Stevie needs a reality check.

[Lip Out]

I think there is something fishy about this announcement...almost contrived. This doctor seems to agree that we're not hearing the whole story.

http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/article/0,28136,1815787,00.html

[Jason B]

Lip Out- While we may not be getting the whole story, that doctor seemed like a hack to me. Where does he think Tiger was doing all of his running? Not on a treadmill, to be sure. Probably through the development at Isleworth, on paths that may or may not be concrete.

[Eric Stratton]

i wonder how tiger will take the stevie quote about his "greatest call ever." it was my impression that tiger doesn't like it when anyone on the team attracts too much attention to themselves.

06.19.2008 | thusgone

======================

I don't see where Steve is quoted saying "my greatest call ever"...

...those are the words of the reporter.

ES

[Adam Clayman]

Correct, all he could do was encourage the club selection. If Tiger cares one bit, it should be that he listened to his partner.

Most peoples mis-perceptions on caddies, is as a servant.

[C. Freeman]

I think Jason B is right. The whole story isn't being told, but the Doc is missing some available information. For example, it has been reported that Tiger ran throughout Isleworth and that he frequently wears a weight vest when running. The Doc makes it seem like all Tiger did to injure himself is walk on a golf course.

[Jason B]

Plus, it makes me feel a little funny (in a bad way) when a doctor speculates like that for the public without any evidence other than what is available to the general public. (I.e. what we can all see).

[thusgone]

es: stevie is quoted in the story, and the quote makes it sound (to me, at least) like the 60 degree play was stevie's idea.

my sense is that tiger d/n like it when his employees get out in front like that, regardless of whether the public regards the caddy and golfer as partners.

as for me, i think caddies -- even stevie, whom i find a little full of himself -- should be able to revel in the press when they make a good call. my point was more to tiger's attitude toward such things.

[NRH]

thugsone: The Fluff Cowan thing was a decade ago...Tiger was the Best Man at Williams' wedding. I am sure you can fill in the gaps on who knows what is acceptable.

[Bob A]

If I'm Oliver Stone (or Retief Goosen), I may say that it is convienent that Tiger's going to take the rest of the year off at the same time that drug testing begins....
Thank god I'm not Oliver Stone, but....

[jason]

Ok, Gary Player. Even Oliver isn't that dumb.