Golf: Williams says Tiger's putting 'not up to it'

If Tiger Woods suspected everyone was against him then yesterday he received confirmation.

After being grilled in his first British press conference since the scandal broke, the world No 1's faltering game came under attack from his very own caddie.

Steve Williams held back with all the sensitivity of a celebrity website.

Woods will surely be annoyed by the New Zealander's criticisms, particularly as they appeared on the PGA Tour's website. It was an extraordinarily timed "his game's not up to scratch" assessment of his employer's form, coming as it did two days before he tries to become the first player to win three St Andrews majors.

According to Williams, Woods will tee off in the 137th Open Championship today with a huge handicap.

"The one part of Tiger's game this year that has been very substandard is his putting," said the bagman who has been with Woods since 1999.

"He hasn't putted well in any of his events. The key to playing well at St Andrews is putting.

"He's renowned as a good putter ... but there's been no consistency ... It has been frustrating, no two ways about it... I've made it very clear to him what he has to do and that the onus is going to be on putting."

Woods himself called his putting "just awful" at the AT&T National two weeks ago and is so anxious to improve his game on the greens that for the first time in 11 years and more than 200 tournaments he will abandon his Scotty Cameron putter.

Despite winning more than US$90 million ($125 million) with the club he called "irreplaceable" as well as 72 tournaments and 13 majors, Woods has swapped to a new Nike model.

Many will inevitably view this as the action of a desperate man and Williams' critique will only strengthen that suspicion. The Kiwi admitted how exasperating it has been to watch Woods so far this season as he has remained winless since returning from a self-enforced five-month exile.

"When you caddie for someone like Tiger, you come to expect a lot of good things," said Williams, who has been with Woods for almost the same amount of time as the discarded putter.

At least Woods' principal sponsors will be happy. By switching to the Method putter, Woods will earn manufacturer Nike a forecasted US$50 million in sales. But that was not the reason for his radical overhaul.

Woods claims these St Andrews greens are far slower than they were when he won there in 2005 and 2000.

"This putter does come off faster with the new groove technology."

This is the second equipment change in as many tournaments for the 34-year-old. At the AT&T, Woods decided to use a different Nike ball.

If anything shows that the self-doubts are invading golf's strongest psyche then surely this is it.

Woods refused to talk about the rumours that his divorce had been finalised but said he spent time with his children last week.

OPEN FILE

Most wins
6 - Harry Vardon (1896-98-99-1903-11-14)

Most times runner-up
7 - Jack Nicklaus (1964-67-68-72-76-77-79)

Oldest winner
Old Tom Morris, 46yrs 3mths (1867)

Youngest winner
Young Tom Morris, 17yrs 5mths (1868)

Biggest win
13 - Old Tom Morris (Prestwick 1862)

Lowest score
267 - Greg Norman (Sandwich 1993)

Lowest sub-par score
269 - (-19) Tiger Woods (St Andrews 2000)

Most successive wins
4 - Young Tom Morris (1868-1872)

Best closing round to win
64 - Greg Norman (1993)

Most appearances
46 - Gary Player

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