What is Steve Williams' net worth?
Steve Williams is a New Zealand-born professional golf caddy who has a net worth of $20 million. Steve Williams earned his net worth as the caddie for many professional golfers, most notably Tiger Woods. Steve carried Tiger's clubs from 1999 – 2011, a period where Tiger's was consistently the top-ranked and highest-earning golfer in the world. During his career Steve also carried clubs for Adam Scott, Peter Thomson, and Jason Day.
Steve Williams Salary
Most caddies earn a standard salary of 5% of whatever the pro makes in tournament play, plus a weekly salary. During his time with Tiger, Steve Williams earned 15% of Tiger's tournament prizes. In most of the Tiger years, Steve Williams earned significantly more money than most of the professional tournament players. In 2007, he earned $1.4 million in commissions alone, which would put him in the top 75 of PGA earners for the year. Williams also earned money through endorsements, and gifts from Tiger.
Tiger Woods Earnings
During his time caddying for Tiger Woods, Steve earned at least $12 million in bonuses and salary alone. Tiger also reportedly gave Steve 10 vehicles that were won at tournaments.
Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Biography
Steve Williams is one of the most successful and well-known caddies in professional golf history, most famous for his long partnership with Tiger Woods during the peak of Woods' career. Born in Wellington, New Zealand in 1963, Williams began his caddying career at a remarkably young age, starting when he was just 10 years old.
Williams' professional career began in the 1970s when he caddied on the European Tour for Australian golfer Peter Thomson. His big break came in 1982 when he became Greg Norman's caddie, working with "The Shark" for several years. This partnership helped establish Williams as one of the top caddies in professional golf.
The defining period of Williams' career began in 1999 when he joined forces with Tiger Woods. Over their 13-year partnership, Williams was on the bag for 13 of Woods' 15 major championships. Their collaboration coincided with Woods' most dominant period in golf, during which Tiger won multiple majors and held the World No. 1 ranking for a record number of weeks. Williams became known for his fierce protection of Woods on the course, often confronting photographers and managing crowd control to ensure his player could maintain focus.
The Woods-Williams partnership ended controversially in 2011, following Woods' highly publicized personal scandals and subsequent return to golf. Williams then went on to caddie for Adam Scott, helping the Australian win his first major championship at the 2013 Masters Tournament. This victory was particularly significant as it made Williams the first caddie to be part of winning teams at all four major championships.
Throughout his career, Williams became known for his direct, no-nonsense approach and his detailed knowledge of golf courses and tournament conditions. He elevated the role of the caddie from bag-carrier to strategic advisor, helping to modernize the profession. His success also made him one of the highest-paid caddies in golf history, with earnings that reportedly made him the highest-paid New Zealand sportsperson for several years during his time with Woods.
Williams has been outspoken about various aspects of professional golf and has written about his experiences in his autobiography "Out of the Rough," published in 2015. The book provided insight into his relationship with Woods and his perspectives on professional golf.
Known for his preparation and attention to detail, Williams helped change how the role of caddie was perceived in professional golf. He emphasized the importance of precise yardages, wind calculations, and course management, setting a new standard for professional caddies.
While semi-retired from full-time caddying since 2017, Williams has occasionally returned to caddie in select tournaments. In recent years he has worked with Jason Day.
