In new book, caddie Steve Williams set to finally open up about 12-year, 13-major run with Tiger Woods

Andrew Redington

Fourteen years removed from working full time with Tiger Woods, Steve Williams is finally opening up about one of the most dynamic player-caddie relationships in golf history

Available for pre-order with a formal release date of April 1, the book Together We Roared, co-written by Williams and Golf Digest contributor Evin Priest, chronicles the New Zealander’s 12-year, 13-major run with Woods, offering several new and revealing stories that provide a fresh context into their time together.

“I’ve been feeling for a few years that I was sitting on a well of stories I believed golf and sports fans would love to hear,” Williams told Golf Digest. “As I grew into retirement, and life slowed down, I really began to appreciate what Tiger did for me, what I did for Tiger and how special those 12 years were. Those circumstances will never happen again.”

Williams relives the initial connection with Woods in 1999 and their almost immediate success as Woods proceeded to claim the Tiger Slam with consecutive victories in all four majors from 2000-01. He then takes readers through Woods’ continued accomplishments, with insight into the 2005 Masters triumph—including humorous stories surrounding Woods’ legendary chip-in on Augusta’s 16th hole—and Woods’ win at the 2006 Open Championship, his most emotional triumph coming just months after the death of Tiger’s father.

While containing Williams’ insight and perspective, the book also incorporates fresh interviews by Priest with several of golf’s leading personalities at the time, including Mark O’Meara, Chris DiMarco, Stuart Appleby and others, to offer a richer look at the Woods-Williams dynamic.

The book doesn’t shy away from the very public split between Woods and Williams in 2011, with Williams acknowledging a decision he made that cost him his job and the regrets that lingered. Yet it also reveals what has happened privately in subsequent years and how the two have renewed their friendship and come to appreciate what they shared inside and outside the ropes.

“Before I ride off into the sunset, I wanted to share something with the world that really took fans inside my 12 years with Tiger,” Williams said. “I also wanted golf fans to know I have nothing but admiration for Tiger and the chapter we worked together. It’s rare in golf history a player and caddie combine for 13 major wins and over 80 victories worldwide.”

In addition to new stories from Williams that offer behind-the-scenes perspectives on the heyday of Tiger’s career, Willams shares a collection of personal photos that help highlight the personal relationship he and Woods developed. Among them are a vintage Ford that Woods gave to Williams after a win as well as Woods’ golf bags from the late 1990s and early 2000s and the 18th hole flags from the majors they enjoyed together, each with a message from Tiger.

“Because Steve had retired, and because Tiger is playing a lot less, I believe Steve could open up a lot more and share far richer, entertaining, warm, funny and immersive stories than he ever has,” Priest said. “On top of that, Steve opening his home to the book and getting to see what was kind of a Tiger Woods/Steve Williams museum was something I’ll never forget.”