Steve Williams Told One Lie to Greg Norman, and Got Caught When He Least Expected It

Jan 9, 2026, 1:30 PM CUT

Bildnummer: 09038440 Datum: 18.11.2011 Copyright: imago/Icon SMI 18 November 2011 : Internation Caddy Steve Williams (left) and International captain Greg Norman (Right) during the second-round Four-ball matches at the Presidents Cup at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia. PGA Golf Herren NOV 18 Presidents Cup - Day Four-ball matches PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxRUSxSWExNORxONLY Icon11111700061; Golf The Presidents President s Cup Royal Melbourne Club xsp x0x 2011 quer Image number 09038440 date 18 11 2011 Copyright imago Icon Smi 18 November 2011 International Caddy Steve Williams left and International Captain Greg Norman Right during The Second Round Four Ball Matches AT The Presidents Cup AT The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne Australia PGA Golf men Nov 18 Presidents Cup Day Four Ball Matches PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxRUSxSWExNORxONLY Golf The Presidents President s Cup Royal Melbourne Club x0x 2011 horizontal

Steve Williams became famous with Tiger Woods, but did you know his career really started with a lie he told to Greg Norman?

Between 1982 and 1989, Williams worked with Greg Norman. And when Steve Williams appeared on the Between Two Beers Podcast in March 2025, he talked about the incident.

"I lied to him about my age. I think I was 17 or 18, and I told him I was 20."

Sep. 04, 2010 - Norton, Massachusetts, United States of America - TIGER WOODS (USA, L) and caddy STEVE WILLIAMS (NZL) talk strategy during the second round of the Deutsche Bank Championship at the TPC Boston. - ZUMAq39

Steve Williams’ path to caddying for Greg Norman began while he was working for Ian Baker-Finch at the Australian Open at Metropolitan Golf Course in Melbourne. Norman was paired with Baker-Finch during the tournament, and Williams said he was focused solely on doing his job at the time.

After the event, Norman obtained Williams’ contact details and later called him in New Zealand, saying he had watched him closely during the round and was impressed by his work.

And while Norman believed he was 20, Williams was in fact 17. He had been caddying since he was 13. But the real kicker came decades later.

“A few years later, we were checking in at the airport in Hong Kong. His wife [Greg Norman’s] said, ‘Give me the passports.’ I didn’t even flinch. Then we’re in the queue, and she says, ‘Steve, how old are you?’ She's got my passport, and that’s when they found out I’d lied.”

Williams said the moment did not become an issue: “We laughed about that for years. He would have still hired me, but I thought if I told him I was 17, he might think that’s a bit young to have someone caddying for him.”

Steve Williams credits Greg Norman for teaching him about caddying

“I would never have learned the art of caddying if I hadn’t caddied for Greg, because he took me on and treated me like a son and explained to me everything, how I’ve hit the shot, why I’ve hit the shot, and what decision I’m going to make.”

During their seven-year partnership, the duo shared multiple victories, but their time together is also linked to several close finishes at the Masters Tournament.

Steve Williams was on Norman’s bag for the 1986 Masters, where Jack Nicklaus won the tournament by one stroke.

Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar