Tiger Woods former caddie Billy Foster has revealed he 'almost felt sorry for him' after realising what the golfing great's life was like living in the limelight.
There is not a more well known name in the history of professional golf than Woods, after the 82-time PGA Tour winner announced himself as arguably the greatest player to pick up a club during his prime. The American's dominance in the late 1990's and early 2000's saw him become the face of the sport.
The Woods effect continues to be felt across the professional game, with the 15-time major champion continuing the draw in unmatched crowds when he rarely tees it up on the PGA Tour.
Whilst many would be in awe of the golfing legend's talents and stardom, his former caddie Foster had sympathy with the attention he had to put up with. Detailing what it was like to work with Woods, he told BoyleSports: "I remember telling him [Tiger] that for all his fame and money I would never want his life.
“We were walking through the crowd from the clubhouse to the first tee, about a 200 yard walk and all the fans were screaming at him. I thought, ‘my God my ears are bleeding, I’ve got to get out of here!’" Comparing it to the period he spent with the great Seve Ballesteros, he added: "He had pen marks all over him.
"We got to the first tee and I said. ‘That reminds me of working for Seve Ballesteros but on speed.’ You can’t sit down in a restaurant and have a meal or go to a bar and have a drink without loads of people all over you wanting selfies and autographs. Everyone wanted five minutes of his time.
“I said to him: ‘You could be a multi-millionaire, have any woman you want, you could be the best golfer that has ever lived, but I wouldn’t swap your life.’" Foster worked with Woods during in his prime, but times have since changed with the golfing great now struggling to compete due to ongoing fitness problems.
Woods' latest outing came at last month's Masters, but he was forced to withdraw three rounds in due to an ankle injury. He has since had surgery to rectify the issue, but another long rehabilitation is ahead. There have been calls for Woods to bring to an end his remarkable PGA Tour career, but Foster believes if he can return to full fitness, he can win again.
"Only Tiger knows how bad his leg is. Only Tiger knows if it is going to get stronger. If it does get stronger he could still win out there, I still believe that. But if it keeps deteriorating it goes without saying he will have to throw in the towel at some stage but let’s hope it does get stronger and he can play top line competitive golf again.”
