One of the biggest unanswered sporting questions this year is why did Tiger Woods sack his caddy Steve Williams in July?
No normal person sacks a close friend. Woods was best man at Williams’ wedding in New Zealand, and Williams had loyally lugged Woods’ bag for 12 years in winning 13 majors and 72 tournaments.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
So why?
I put the question to Sky’s golfing guru Bruce Young, who is in Melbourne covering the Presidents Cup that tees off tomorrow.
“He’s never been able to truly answer that question, other than to say it’s time to move on,” Young said.
“Steve was an outstanding caddy, there’s no doubt about that. He was incredibly loyal and discreet during a difficult part of Tiger’s life (the serial infidelities).
“Steve Williams performed a job over 12 years that not many people would do because it required a lot more than giving yardages, handing out clubs, and reading greens.
“He really had to handle security for Tiger and a lot of other things outside the square that other caddies didn’t have to do”.
So we are none the wiser.
But USA captain Freddie Couples fuelled the fire yesterday by predicting Woods and Australian Adam Scott will be pitted against one another. And Steve Williams now caddies for Scott.
Whether Couples was just being provocative, or is on the level, remains to be seen. But it sure was the major talking point in Melbourne yesterday.
There are five different events when a Woods-Scott clash could happen:
* Tomorrow there will be six foursomes, so every one of the 12-man teams will be on duty.
* Friday will be six fourballs, everyone on duty.
* Saturday will be five foursomes in the morning, and five fourballs in the afternoon – so two from each team will be rested in both events.
* And Sunday will be 12 singles, a four-day total of 34 matches.
Team USA has won six of the eight President Cups. The Internationals have won one (1998) at Royal Melbourne, looking for a repeat, and there was a tie at 17 points apiece at George in South Africa in 2003.
Amazingly, the Internationals are the bookie’s favourite, despite the fact there are nine Americans in the world top 20: Steve Stricker (5), Dustin Johnson (6), rookie Webb Simpson (9), Matt Kuchar (10), Nick Watney (11), Phil Mickelson (12), Bubba Watson (17) Hunter Mahan (19),and David Toms (20). Bill Haas is 22.
But only four Internationals are in the world top 20: Scott (7), Jason Day (8), Charl Schwartzel (13), and KJ Choi (15).
While Woods will have the usual Melbourne hordes following him, the rookie is the one to watch.
Webb Simpson (26) turned pro on 2008, finishing the year ranked 332 in the world. He jumped to 146 in 2009, but fell away to 213 last year.
In 12 months, Simpson has been a revelation, rocketing up the rankings to 9, playing 26 tournaments, winning two, running second three times, with 12 top 10 finishes, and 21 top 25s in banking $6.38 million, second only to world number one Luke Donald by $340,000.
This ninth edition of the Presidents Cup boasts the most number of rookies since the inaugural staging in 1994: 10.
The Americans have six – Kuchar, Johnson, Simpson, Watson, Watney, and Haas.
The Internationals four – Day, Schwartzel, Kim Kyung-tae, and Aaron Baddeley.
Phil Mickelson is the only golfer who has played all nine: Woods, Jim Furyk, and Ernie Els next best with seven.
Bring ’em on.
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