Steve Williams Says Tiger Is Actually GREAT At Hitting Fairways

There are caddies on the PGA Tour and then there is Steve Williams. In case you are really drunk, Williams is Tiger Woods' caddy and is basically as good as it comes with a bag toter.

Williams keeps his own notes on every shot during rounds and said that to him, Tiger hits about 65 percent of his fairways. Obviously that number, by rule, is incorrect. Tiger is ranked 157th on tour in driving accuracy, finding the fairway about 59 percent of the time. Williams says his numbers are skewed to make up for Tiger's distance off the tee.

"For example, most of the courses we play will have a couple of driveable par 4s for Tiger. He might hit it in the greenside bunker, but it's a great shot, or he might hit a great tee shot that doesn't end up on the fairway and people think it's a missed fairway."

Similarly, Woods might cut a sharp dog-leg with his driver on a par 5 or long par 4. It won't end up on the fairway, but might give him an easier shot to the green.

The PGA might record a missed fairway, "but in my book it's a hit," said Williams. "Just like if he misses a green by two inches, but he knows he hit a great shot, so we count it as a green hit. While the PGA stats are accurate, it's not necessarily what we look at."

That isn't even the craziest stat Williams has found. He said if Tiger avoids a single three-putt in 72 holes, the standard length of a PGA Tour tournament, Woods wins 90 percent of the time.

Whatever the truth about Woods' driving accuracy, Williams says the most interesting statistic relates to putting. When Woods doesn't three-putt over a 72-hole stretch, he will win the tournament 90 per cent of the time - and that's a goal they strive for.

I would have to say that is incredibly insane (though I'm sure it is correct). Tiger is so good it makes me sick. Steve, it appears, might be right there with him.

Jason Sobel Interviews Tiger Woods

Jason Sobel of ESPN sat down with Tiger Woods to talk about a few golf related things (surprise!). Watch the video and after are a few of the key things he said.



Asked if he was itching to get back on the course, Tiger responded, "Not really, not really at all, That is one of the surprising things about it, because if i did come back as of right now i wouldn't be very good because one I'm so limited, i can't do anything all i can do is just putt or hit a chip shot, big deal, anyone can do that, as far as making full swings I'm really not allowed to do that."


When Jason asked him about his confidence in returning for the Masters, Tiger responded, "Very confident."

Tiger Woods Design Is Busy, Now Planning on Having Another Beer in Mexico

First Dubai, then North Carolina and now Mexico for Tiger Woods Design.

The man isn't really adding extra winks to his normally hectic schedule after surgery, announcing his third course design just 65 miles south of San Diego in Ensenada. The course will be called Punta Brava or Wild Point for you sad, English-only folks and will be a 6,835-yard par-70 in a high-end community.

"As soon as I got on site, I was in," Woods said Tuesday as he stood next to a giant rendering of Punta Brava at a press conference at the swank Hotel Bel-Air.

"We tried to incorporate the viewscapes and rock formations to make sure that you felt like you were part of this amazing peninsula the entire time you play," he said. "That was a challenge and one of the reasons it took us just over 20 routings or so to finally get it right. But I think we got it right."

The course will be on the ocean and will be amazing so I'm sure everyone will want to play it but can't. It will be like Augusta National only without all the trees and with the ocean. Wait, maybe it would be like Pebble Beach. Nope, that's public. Oh, I give up, Wednesdays are terrible.

Tiger Woods Now Most Powerful Businessman in Sports

If you were going to shoot or some goals by the age of 32, being the richest athlete in the world, the best golfer ever and now the most influential person in sports business wouldn't be a bad agenda.

Business Week moved Tiger to to the top of the list, jumping NFL Commissioner Roger Godell at the top spot and finding himself as the only active athlete in the top-14 (Lance Armstrong, who is coming back to cycling, is 15).

PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem is No. 27 and Jack Nicklaus is No. 47.

Why is Tiger the top dog this year? Well, just check out this paragraph of his boost of golf since he hit the scene in 1997 and how much some companies might be out since the knee injury that sidelined him in June.

"Woods' fashionable on-course golf wear has made Nike the No. 1 seller of golf apparel worldwide, with more than $300 million in revenue. While he's rehabbing his knee—fans will recall how he winced his way to victory at the U.S. Open in June—sports valuation experts estimate Nike could be out more than $70 million in swoosh exposure. Buick (GM) executives are sweating, as well. Since Woods showed up in its car ads in 2000, sales have climbed steadily among the under-40 crowd. His connection with fans is the reason earnings for PGA Tour players have surged 200% since 1998, to an estimated $374.5 million. "

It was almost a sure bet to put Tiger on the top of the list after some of his recent business ventures. A man thats name sells, it was only time before the Tiger Woods brand began in golf course development, surely the only way Nicklaus is on this list. If Tiger Woods Design takes off like Nicklaus' golf courses did, he will be pulling in more dough that any golfer makes a year combined.

His name is his business and even with the knee troubles and the fact that he has said he won't be completely healthy until 2010, it still must be nice to be the Tiger.

Tiger Sure Can Host a Party

With Tiger Woods sidelined until 2009 with this knee injury, he has been demoted as host for a lot of events he'd normally be playing in. That includes a silly season tournament, the Chevron World Challenge, that goes on December 18-21.

The 16-player event is pretty stacked.

Vijay Singh, Padraig Harrington, Anthony Kim, Camilo Villegas, Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker, K.J. Choi, Kenny Perry, Justin Leonard, Mike Weir, Luke Donald, Stephen Ames, Hunter Mahan, Boo Weekley, Paul Casey and Fred Couples fill the event roster and that is a pretty salty group of golfers.

I guarantee you I will break my "anti silly season" stance on golf to watch this event. Can you think of a golfer not on this list that could spice up the event besides Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott?

Nice job Tiger, you've got juice.

Hey, Who Is This Fella?

Tiger Woods was on CNN talking about his new golf course in Dubai, which will stretch to 7,800 yards from the Tiger Tees. I have one simple question about this video -- does Tiger sleep in a Nike golf polo and matching Nike hat or is that just immediately pasted on when he wakes up in the morning? Hey, just asking.

So, Where Does Tiger Rank In the FedEx Cup Points Today, and How Much Would He Have Made This Year?

Sometimes it is hard to grasp just how damn good Tiger Woods is at golf. Yeah, he wins, yeah he makes billions of bucks, but just to think of some of the things he does to the golf world is incredible.

Like this point...

Today, three weeks through the FedEx Cup playoffs, Tiger is still ranked 70th on the list, and hasn't earned a point since the middle of June. Also, in case you forgot, Tiger played in six tournaments total this season. Since the FedEx Cup is a little skewed because the playoffs have started and points count more, lets take a look at the money list.

Tiger is SECOND on the PGA Tour Money list this year. Second. He is just $698,684 behind the money leader, Vijay Singh, who played in 16 more tournaments than Woods did this season. 16!!! It is crazy to think this way, but if Tiger had played the other 16 like he played the first six (winning four times, so a bit out there), he would have earned $21,175,000 this season. Needless to say, I think he would have claimed the money title. Wow.

Tiger To Have Second Child

Tiger Woods and wife Elin (mostly Elin though) will be having another child come late-winter, according to Tiger's website.

Woods said he's all excited and pumped for the new kid, even if he misses golf.

"Elin is feeling great, and we are both thrilled. While my injury has been disappointing and frustrating, it has allowed me to spend a lot of time watching Sam grow. I can't begin to tell you how rewarding it is being a dad and spending time with her and Elin. The injury has been a blessing and a disappointment."

I can promise you, being Tiger Woods with a wife as beautiful as Elin, that is probably what you do when shacked up the mansion. "Hey, what do you want to do today, sew?" "Nah, let's just get it on and then I'm taking a nap."

No wonder he didn't watch much live golf over the break.

All jokes aside, congrats to Elin and Tiger. If he's a boy I'm pretty sure Phil Knight might rupture his spleen from laughing so hard. $ $ $

Tiger Woods Birdies 18 to Beat Jesus

We all knew Tiger Woods was great, but comparing him to the rather impressive Jesus Christ is a fairly high praise.

That didn't stop the EA Sports guys to take his dominance to a new level. I love the commercial but I wish they had put another person trying to do it and falling it. It just kinda looks like he's walking in short water (well, until he puts his club down a foot or so).



[You Been Blinded]

The "Golf Without Tiger" Song

I love the Ryan Parker songs. He's got a great voice, he's creative as a kaleidoscope and never has a subject that isn't off limits.

This one, published on July 20 about Tiger's absence from the game is absolutely spot on and pretty hilarious. Check it out and run over to his website for a couple more little ditties.

More videos from the "ryanparkersongs's channel" channel at Heavy.com

Is The Tiger Era Nearly Over?

This is my column about the era of Tiger maybe facing elimination.

It's worth noting that I love Tiger and always want him to succeed, I just feel this injury could be the beginning of the end. If you don't agree, I'm open for criticism.

A Gatorade A Day Makes The Knee Pain Go Away

Like death and taxes, when I become a tad ill, I bypass the doctor, never am stumbling up and down aisles at Walgreens and absolutely will not swallow a pill. Nope, I'm on a strict Gatorade Diet, and will feel like George Clooney on a day that ends in "Y" by morning.

This is Tiger Woods, on the Scott Van Pelt show, explaining why sponsors really, really, really like having him on their team.

"(Gatorade is) helping me find things that will enable me to heal faster – soft tissue and different types of flavors and drinks that I should be drinking to help speed up recovery after my workouts and pre-workouts. ... Before it was just all on-course stuff with the three flavors I was playing, but now it’s different. Now we’re into recovery drinks, so I think it’s helped me a lot."

Roll your eyes all you want, but I think he's got something here. Like Nyquil to Lewis Black, this stuff will do it for you. My potion is a little of the blue mixed with a little of tha yella.

So, I Guess Tiger Woods Isn't Winning at Firestone?

If Firestone ever goes under, the one bright side will be the opportunity to rename the course to Tiger Woods' Baby.

Woods has absolutely dominated the thing since the WGC-NEC started at Firestone. Since 1999, Tiger has won six of eight trips to the Akron, Ohio course, so it will be interesting picking someone other than El Tigre.

Here are a few to keep you eyes on.

Stewart Cink - Well, one of the years Tiger didn't win the trophy it went to Cink. Mr. Second Place actually broke through for a win at the Travelers Championship a month ago and even after a missed cut at the British, he'll contend if he keeps hitting greens at the rate he is this season (67.98%).

Padraig Harrington - Sure, he's never won at Firestone, but he's on fire coming in and even took a week off to relax after keeping the Claret Jug for another year. He finished t-14, t-27, and t-24 the last three years, so it isn't like he can't play the course. Also, I heard this year the British Open winner gets to start the tournament one-under before he even tees off, so that's a cool little bonus.

Phil Mickelson - He's never really done a ton at Firestone, but he's Phil Mickelson and always seems to win events you're not really expecting him to (on the other hand, he usually loses badly at the ones you're expecting a lot from him). I really only put him in because I just looked, and in 2006 he finished t-51 and made $40,250. Jesus, I know you randomly say things like, "oh yeah, that dude is a millionaire" but I can identify with that much money, so when you put it like, "oh, he finished 51st in a tournament and made 40 grand" it hits more to bank account. All of that is for this simple question -- how much money could you steal from Lefty before he'd even notice it. $5 million? $20 million? Amy?

Sean O'Hair - This kid is due. I'd watch out for him, he has a cool walk.

I Hope This Gets You Pumped

These are some of Tiger's best shots of his career, up to the amazing chip-in on 16 at Augusta. The music mixed with some of his absolutely crazy swings makes for a great Tuesday morning.

This Anthony Kim Kid Is Up To It Again

In both victories Anthony Kim has smoked home this year, he's had that one round that most need to get over the hump.

At the Wachovia Championship in May, Kim shot a third round 66. A month later, he won the AT&T National with a final round 65. Today, chasing a ton of guys in front of him at the Canadian Open, the Mercury-melting Kim fired a seven-under 64 to jump to a tie for the lead and possibly a chance at the Player of the Year award.

The 23-year-old Kim has had some pretty interesting rounds this week, opening with a pretty factory 65 and following that up with a two-under 69 that included two eagles, one double-bogey, three bogeys and three birdies.

He's becoming the favorite every week when he tees it up, not missing a cut since early April and finishing in the top-10 in his first ever British Open. If he wins this, that will be three for the year and his cockiness will be refreshing for the American Ryder Cup team.

Could you imagine if Tiger Woods was healthy and they paired him with Kim against the European Team? It would be like the year Tiger played with Phil Mickelson, only a lot cooler and probably successful. Hey, there'd be a lot less awkward white-ness in the group, that's for sure.