“You know I can understand being fired as a caddy, that’s what happens out here all the time. The one thing I could never understand with Tiger was why he fired me as a friend.” We’ve all been there. Maybe not carrying the bag for the greatest golfer ever, but we’ve all had that moment when professional becomes personal. Steve Williams thought he had both with Tiger Woods. Turns out, he was wrong about one of them. According to Hughes Norton, Tiger’s former agent, Williams wasn’t alone in this experience.
During a recent appearance on GOLF’s Subpar podcast, Norton revealed the painful details of how Tiger handles professional relationships. His account offers a rare insight into a pattern that has affected multiple individuals in Tiger’s inner circle over the years. Norton worked as Tiger’s first agent from 1996 to 1998. He helped negotiate the legendary Nike and Titleist deals worth $60 million. However, their partnership ended abruptly with a phone call. Tiger said he was making a change.
Norton described what happened when he tried to get answers. He flew to Orlando to meet Tiger face-to-face. Tiger told him not to come. Nevertheless, Norton went anyway. “We stood there and I said ‘Let’s talk about this.’ And you said ‘I have nothing to say, I’m making a change, it’s over.’ Turn around on your heel and walk away,” Norton recalled during the podcast.
Norton emphasized that this approach doesn’t reflect how most people handle meaningful relationships. He wanted closure. He wanted to understand what he had done wrong. Tiger offered nothing. “Give me some closure here, you know I’m a human being,” Norton said he would tell Tiger if they ever spoke again. The podcast hosts noted Williams recently published a new book about his years with Tiger. Norton hadn’t seen it yet. However, he was familiar with Williams’ story. Williams carried the bag for twelve majors and attended Tiger’s wedding. Yet he experienced the same treatment.
“Steve Williams and it wasn’t just me, the only solace I can take I guess is that I wasn’t the only person kind of mistreated by Tiger when he terminated you,” Norton explained. Norton’s account reveals why Williams endured far worse treatment than even he did. While Norton lost a lucrative business relationship, Williams lost what he believed was a genuine friendship.
Norton was Tiger’s agent for just two years, but Williams stood beside Tiger for twelve years, through major championships and personal milestones. “Steve was in Tiger’s wedding,” Norton emphasized, highlighting the deeper personal bond. The agent got a cold business dismissal, but the caddie experienced the devastating realization that someone he considered family had never truly seen him as more than an employee. Norton’s firing stung professionally, but Williams’ dismissal cut to the core of human connection and trust.
March 29, 2009 – Orlando, Florida, USA – Tiger Woods and his caddie Steve Williams celebrate a shot on the 16th hole during the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge on March 29, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. ZUMA Press/ 2009 Arnold Palmer Invitational – ZUMAm63_
This pattern extends beyond Norton and Williams. Hank Haney coached Tiger through five or six majors. Nevertheless, Tiger has never spoken to Haney since their split. Norton described this as “crazy stuff” during the podcast.
Norton’s revelations highlight how Tiger’s approach differs from other elite athletes.
Tiger Woods vs. the other elite athletes’ approach
Most champions in various sports maintain some level of communication when professional relationships end. They acknowledge contributions and provide explanations for changes. The podcast hosts acknowledged this pattern affects numerous people. “I think there’s a number of guys that are in the same boat with that that just feel like communication’s been cut off,” one host observed.
Norton wanted answers about his own termination. He wondered if Mark O’Meara influenced Tiger’s decision. O’Meara was influential inWoods’s early days. He may have urged Tiger to make changes. Norton simply didn’t know.
Norton’s experience reveals Woods’s consistent approach to ending relationships. There’s no discussion. No gradual transition. No acknowledgment of past contributions. Woods makes his decision and moves forward immediately. This creates lasting confusion for those involved who seek closure that never comes. Norton’s willingness to share these details publicly demonstrates the lasting impact – twenty-five years later, he still wants answers, and Williams’ quote perfectly captures how professional changes don’t need to end personal relationships.
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