Paul Lewis: Unfair to tee off on Steve

Get off Steve Williams' back. Honestly, the outcry about a 'mere' caddie saying what he thought has been just as over the top as Williams' supposed crimes.

Golf and golfers can be a bit precious at times. The sport maintains a veneer of honesty, respect and courtesy - and good on it for doing so in a brash, professional age. But that same veneer masks normal human feelings.

In other words, many in golf do not say what they really feel. In fact, you could say many in sport do not say what they really feel - leaving the truth for the loved ones in their living room, their agents and trusted friends.

There's also the Phil Mickelson syndrome. Outwardly, goofy-grinning old Phil is an aw, gee, shucks golfer of rare creative talent loved by fans, media and other golfers alike. But, in the locker room, there is obviously another Phil - the one known as FIGJAM by some of his contemporaries (stands for: F***, I'm Good, Just Ask Me).

If you're wondering what the connection is between Williams and Mickelson, I'll tell you. It's called jealousy; the green-eyed monster made an unwelcome appearance at the end of Adam Scott's triumph, with Williams on the bag, at the WGC Bridgestone tournament.

Williams' one mistake was not to mention Scott in his wee rant about winning the WGC and sticking it up Tiger Woods.

I found it refreshing to hear a sportsperson sounding off; letting his real feelings show; making it clear that he had been hurt by being sacked by Woods and that Scott's victory (even if he did kind of pose it as his own) was particularly satisfying. That is normal human sentiment and many people choke down on such things because they fear being viewed as weak, immature, bitter, or improper. Baloney.

Last time I looked, there was no legislation preventing anyone from being human. Williams has got it out of his system now and will likely settle into a rhythm with Scott in what looked to be an excellent partnership, forged quickly.

Ask the PGA what they thought of Williams before play started in this weekend's PGA Championship - the last major of the season and the least regarded of the four - and (if they were being honest as opposed to forming words for public consumption) they will have loved him. So, too, the broadcasters and sponsors.

As for all those dweebs who came out on Twitter and the like, making class-distinction comments about Scott being the one wielding the clubs and that Williams should be in the background, silent and tugging his forelock - what a load of gubbins.

I was reminded of the old Noel Coward comment made when he attended the premiere of a London musical which included an obnoxious child star and a horse which relieved itself on stage. "If they had stuffed the child's head up the horse's arse, they would have solved two problems at once."

All those plonkers - Paul Azinger, female golfer Christina Kim (who?), UK golfer Oliver Wilson (double who?) and fellow Brit Chris Wood (triple who?) - should remove their own heads from the horse's bum. US tennis player Andy Roddick also took time to castigate Williams. Andy Roddick? When did he last mention his coach when he won something? When did he last win anything? He and the rest of the above should ponder the following:

Why was it, during the final round of the WGC tournament, that many fans cheered Williams (note: not Scott)? It was all about Tiger Woods; the biggest sports story in recent memory. Williams had a box seat and a key role and was understandably miffed when he was let go after staying loyal and not saying a word about Tiger's indiscretions.

The fans who cheered Williams were clearly siding with him regarding his firing. No wonder journalists flocked to get Williams' response. It was yet another sequel to this enormous sports story which has engaged the interest of billions. What was Williams supposed to do? Set his jaw and growl: "No comment"? Was he, hell.

Again, he might have congratulated Scott more, but you wonder too whether Azinger and all the others actually watched the last round of the Bridgestone. If they had, they would have seen, as I did, Williams doing a fantastic job for Scott. It was like watching a driver nurse home a damaged race car, with a misfiring engine and, as the old Wallflowers song had it, "on one headlight".

Scott has made huge strides in his game, taking on a long putter, and his second at this year's Masters was achieved without Williams. But it was second. Scott is a major talent but a perennial underachiever and the Bridgestone contained the world's top 50 golfers and a few other invitees.

Williams guided him home expertly. He wasn't so much a caddy as a coach. Scott asked him questions and took his advice. Williams talked him into and out of club selections; he set the direction for shots to greens, shots which were perfect for the leader of a tournament - risk-averse, considered but close enough to the flag for birdie chances. His competition fell away and Scott won easily - not a phrase often heard before.

Those old-fashioned darlings who see a caddy as a bag carrier and someone who carries a handkerchief in case the golfer wants to blow his schnoz were way off the mark. This was a pair of professionals acting as a team; both benefitting.

What we really heard was a load of journos taking revenge on Williams for his less-than-friendly attitude on course with Woods over the years. There have been many stories about Williams giving photographers and other people a spray and being intimidating if someone contravened what they thought was acceptable behaviour while Tiger was playing.

But, pardon me, whose orders was Williams following? What was Woods' demeanour on course? It was dark, silent, intimidating. He didn't do chat - he did freeze-out. When you walk with me, tread softly, for I am The Big Kahuna. Williams reinforced that in the interests of Woods winning and loads of journos didn't like it.

Woods has form with caddies too. He had Mike 'Fluff' Cowan on the bag until the caddy started appearing on TV ads; his fame getting close to that of Tiger's. Cue the firing squad.

No, this story was all about Tiger, though some chose to use it as a club with which to beat Williams. He was an unsavoury beast, was the general sentiment.

Yep, such a beast he gave $1 million to Auckland's Starship kids' hospital.

There's the horse, guys, and here's a tea-towel. Pull your heads out.