"According to Williams" **
/Yesterday I mistakenly linked to Lawrence Donegan's Guardian version of the Steve Williams-calls-Phil Mickelson names story instead of the original by Murray Hills. I have corrected the link mix up on the post below.
However, my screw-up proved revealing (yes, I'm justifying blogging sloppiness!).
A reader called into question the Hills' story suggestion that the U.S. Open "Nice tits" tale took place during round 3, when we all know Tiger Woods and Phil only played together in rounds 1 and 2. The reader directed their criticism at Donegan, who clarified Hills's mistake here, why he wrote his story accordingly, while also revealing that it seems Williams, telling the tale to a group of 250, most likely made the story up.
Now, I should have known something was amiss with the Williams story since I was at Torrey Pines every day, followed the elite Tiger-Phil-Scott pairing most of the way and never heard about this happening. Other writers I've checked with say this was the first they've heard of it. And as several have noted, including Donegan in his post here, the tale sounds similar to a story about Monty that has made the rounds for years.
It's hard to imagine Stevie surviving this latest episode if it delivers the expected high humiliation factor on Tiger's lap. It's certainly not the Christmas gift Tiger wanted from his caddy on the eve of this week's event at Sherwood where Tiger hosts a press conference.
Thanks to reader Gene for catching Greg Ford's story following up with Williams about his remarks.
When approached by the Star-Times yesterday, Williams confirmed the quote was accurate, although he had not intended that it find its way into the public domain.
"I certainly didn't make it to a media person," he said. "I visit a lot of golf clubs and do a lot of speaking for charity and that is one of the questions I get asked the most: what is Tiger's relationship like with Phil Mickelson.
"I was simply honest and said they don't get a long. You know what it's like. You're at a charity event and you have a bit of fun."
Yes, yes, calling people prick's in the name of charity! Just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Asked if he used the word "prick", he said "yes" and added a few more choice words to the mix.
"I don't particularly like the guy myself," he said of Mickelson. "He pays me no respect at all and hence I don't pay him any respect. It's no secret we don't get along either."
Williams is an infamously brusque individual who once threw a spectator's camera into a pond. But, even by his standards, this was an astonishing thing to say.
Since scoring a job as Woods' bagman, he has been careful not to create any controversy, partly because Woods sacked his predecessor for his outspokeness.
Williams doubted Woods would react to his comments."He knows the media," he said. "You make a comment and they blow it all out of proportion and it's no big deal."
Oh good, we can ask him about that too!
But to make matters worse, the Guardian has reported a story Williams told about this year's US Open at Torrey Pines, where Woods and Mickelson were paired together.
The two players were walking down the 17th fairway when, according to Williams, someone shouted "Phil" in Mickelson's direction. The world No 2 did not respond until the fan shouted, "Hey, Mr Mickelson." When Mickelson turned and waved, the fan yelled out "Nice tits". The crowd erupted in laughter; Mickelson went double bogey, bogey and his chances of winning the tournament disappeared.
Williams confirmed the story was almost accurate, adding it was his recollection the incident happened at Beth Page.
Keep digging Stevie!
Folks, did Tiger and Phil play together at Bethpage?
