The Tiger Woods star treatment extends even to the entourage
Jamie Wilson There was only one show in town last weekend and everybody wanted a piece of Team Tiger. Even the autograph of the world number one’s caddie, Steve Williams, reputed to be the highest-paid New Zealand sports star through his association with Woods, was fiercely sought by the hundreds of children who lined the route along which Tiger regally made his way towards the course. If anybody needed reminding that the 24-year-old is the biggest star in world sport today it was there to see in the size of his entourage, which on Sunday consisted of three bodyguards, a cluster of officials and a legion of Fife police, who escorted Woods from his suite in the Old Course Hotel to the practice putting green. Every move he makes is planned like a military operation, with his bodyguards, dressed in identical red Nike jackets, black caps and wraparound mirror sunglasses, orchestrating operations. “Tiger! Tiger!” the crowd screamed, but it was not the time to ask for an autograph. Woods already had his game face on and barely acknowledged the crowd as he and his caddie walked on to the green. Williams, who has caddied for Greg Norman and Raymond Floyd, reputedly earns between $500E000 and $1-million a year. They have been together since March 1999, during which time Woods has embarked on the hottest winning streak in golf history, including winning three of his four major titles. “He can just read me, to the point where he knows when to say something and when not to say something,” Woods said. “And we genuinely like being around each other. I think that is what makes for a wonderful partnership, especially one that lasts a long time.” Exactly what Williams thinks is difficult to know. He does not give interviews and is wise not to do so. Woods guards his privacy jealously and a couple of indiscretions by his former caddie, Fluff Cowan, were enough to see the walrus-moustached bag carrier swiftly dispatched. Cowan had been Woods’s caddie since the three-time United States amateur champion turned professional in 1996 and together they won seven US Tour events. But Woods became frustrated by Cowan’s extra- curricular activities. The caddie had become something of a cult figure, making commercials for a hotel chain, a television station and the world golf village. The final straw came when Cowan revealed his salary, a weekly retainer of $1E000 and between eight and 10% of Woods’s winnings. It is not the first time the Tiger has shown his bite: he sacked his lawyer and manager soon after turning professional. After gently getting into the rhythm with his putter, Woods departed from the putting green, climbing into one of the white transit vans that transport the players the 500m to the practice ground. As Woods climbed out of the passenger seat every one of the thousand or so spectators gathered behind the practice ground turned to watch him arrive, breaking out in spontaneous applause. The dozens of television cameras and press photographers who had been spread the length of the practice ground watching Tom Lehman, Phil Mickelson and the rest moved en masse to point their lenses at the man of the moment. As Woods began his routine with a few easy wedges building up to the driver, quietly whispering encouragement and advice was Claude Harmon, better known as Butch, the second-most-recognisable face of Team Tiger and the man who has taken over from David Leadbetter as teacher of choice for the top professionals.
Harmon has worked with Woods since the world number one was a talented but raw 17-year-old. Harmon’s father, Claude snr, won the Masters in 1948 and was best friends with Ben Hogan, so the 56-year- old professional is well steeped in golfing history. “He’s like a sponge; he just tries to soak up as much knowledge as he can, and he can do anything,” Harmon says. “He’s the most unique student I have ever had.” The young maestro finished his practice session by firing several balls down the practice ground. As he made his way towards the first tee somewhere in the crowd the other members of Team Tiger, his mother Kultida and girlfriend Joanna Jagoda, were watching. History beckoned.