Remember when Tiger Woods misheard the yardage during a TGL match, thinking it was 99 yards instead of 199? It turned into a comical yet embarrassing moment for the golf legend, proving how even the greatest players can fall victim to simple miscommunication. But what if we told you that Tiger’s yardage mix-ups weren’t always his fault? In fact, there were times when they worked completely in his favor—thanks to his longtime caddy, Steve Williams.

Recently, on the No Laying Up podcast, Steve Williams made one of the most eye-opening admissions about his time as Tiger Woods’ caddie. He revealed that he would sometimes adjust yardages or even give misleading information to make sure Woods played the right shot. When Chris Solomon brought up the infamous 71st hole at Valhalla, where Williams deliberately gave Woods an incorrect number, he didn’t hesitate to admit that it wasn’t a one-time thing.

“Yeah, a lot of times,” Williams said. “You know, an athlete, when they get in full flight and they’re really going good, he told me to start walking a little bit quicker, and I could see the adrenaline. I would just adjust the yards, because otherwise it would start going further and further.”

For Williams, it wasn’t about tricking Woods, it was about knowing how his mind and body reacted under pressure. Golf isn’t just about numbers; it’s about understanding the player. When the stakes are high, adrenaline can mess with a golfer’s natural rhythm. Williams had a front-row seat to Woods’s game for years, and he knew exactly how to counterbalance that extra energy.

The 2000 PGA Championship at Valhalla is, indeed a great example of this. It was the same tournament where Woods outdueled Bob May in an unforgettable playoff. On the 71st hole, Williams shaved off eight yards from the actual number to make sure Tiger hit a 60-degree wedge instead of a 56-degree. “It was really risky, because the front bunker was the only place he couldn’t be,” Williams admitted. “And he ended up hitting it really close and making a birdie.”

That tiny adjustment helped Woods stay in control—and he went on to win another major. For Williams, withholding information wasn’t about deception—it was about trust. He understood Tiger’s game better than anyone else, and his job was to put Woods in the best possible position to win.

Williams’ experience taught him that golf is as much an art as it is a science. No matter how much effort goes into yardage books and wind readings, the human factor is just as important. Over time, Tiger caught on that Williams was tweaking the numbers, but he never questioned it. Their bond was built on trust, and Woods understood that if Williams was adjusting something, it was only because he had Tiger’s best interests in mind.

How Steve Williams ended up being the bag man of Tiger Woods

Steve Williams wasn’t just Tiger Woods’ caddie—he was by his side for 13 of Tiger’s 15 major wins, shared some of the most emotional moments of Woods’ career, and even stood as the best man at his wedding. Their bond was one of the strongest in golf, but it didn’t last forever. In 2011, Woods fired Williams, largely because he had taken up caddying for Adam Scott while Tiger was injured. 

But before all that, how did Williams even land the job? It all started in 1999, with a late-night phone call that Williams definitely wasn’t expecting. After a long 20-hour flight from New Zealand to Miami, Williams was exhausted and trying to stay awake in his hotel room. He got a call around 8 p.m., and when he picked it up, a voice said, “Steve, hey, it’s Tiger Woods!”

Williams, half-asleep and thinking it was his friend Bob Garza messing with him, hung up. The phone rang again.“Steve, it really is Tiger. You got a minute?” Once again, Williams hung up, more frustrated than ever. But the third time was the charm. “Steve, it’s Tiger! Please don’t hang up! I’ve split with my caddie. I’d love to talk to you about possibly working for me.”

That’s when Williams realized it really was Tiger Woods on the other end of the line. He quickly apologized and agreed to meet up after the Doral tournament. The rest, as they say, is history. Funny enough, years later, Williams introduced Tiger to Garza—the guy he thought was pranking him all those years ago. Tiger couldn’t resist a little joke, saying, “So you’re the guy who can take off my voice?”

For more stories like this, you can check out Williams’ book Together We Roared, co-written with Evin Priest. It’s the first time he’s really opened up about the wild ride of being part of one of the most successful partnerships in golf history.