Throughout Tiger Woods‘ life, numerous stories have become renowned in the golf world about his career. Woods started his professional journey in 1996 and now boasts over 25 years of experience in the field. While many stories about him circulate daily, are those the only ones? Certainly not! A recently surfaced, untold story about Woods involves a well-known SportsCenter commentator who unexpectedly crossed paths with the 15-time Major champion in an intriguing manner. In the Golf Channel’s Sub-par podcast on YouTube, Stanford Steve reminisced about his recruitment days.
He began by saying, “I tell this story. I go on my recruiting visit. It’s 1996. So you know who’s there?” In the process, he emphasized that he was seated at his table with 15 recruits, all waiting for the guest speaker. During this time, Steve’s recruiting coach indicated, “Oh, you’re at the head table with the head coach and the speaker.” Steve eagerly asked, “Who’s the speaker?” However, the coach didn’t spoil the excitement and advised him to wait.
As the dinner began, the speaker’s seat remained empty. Suddenly, “The door opens, Tiger walks in, sits down. I’m like, holy sh*t.” However, what unfolded next surprised Steve, as Woods took his seat and humorously revealed, “Bro, so sorry. I’m late. My roommates just finished building a computer.” At that moment, Steve made a decision and jokingly remarked, “Oh, there’s no way I’m coming here. Like, what the hell am I gonna do? I’m worried about passing my last English test I took in Connecticut.” Later on, the 82-time PGA Tour winner offered another apology, and afterward, they engaged in a heartwarming conversation. Stanford Steve still cherishes this overall kind gesture from Woods, which remains etched in his memory.
For those who are unaware, Steve later served as the captain of the Stanford men’s golf team and was reportedly recruited by Tiger Woods, who had a prosperous golf career while attending Stanford University. The GOAT attended Stanford University from 1994 to 1996, participating in NCAA golf for two seasons before departing college to pursue a professional career. Although it’s a fascinating story, this is not the first time an old acquaintance of the 15-time major winner has shared something. Woods’ longtime caddie, Joe LaCava, has also shared an intriguing tale in the past.
At the 2019 Masters, during the 16th hole, the pro found himself in a tight spot. The ball was positioned very close, approximately two and a half feet from the hole, and Woods was contemplating his putting strategy. Despite the sense of desperation, the pro turned to his caddie and asked for assistance. Although it was a late request, LaCava didn’t hesitate to offer his help.
At that moment, he instinctively offered words of encouragement, saying, “Listen, pro. Knock this thing in the back of the hole.” Those few words provided significant assistance to Woods at that crucial moment. This incident subsequently became a cherished memory between the American golfer and his ex-caddie. These small moments from the GOAT’s life have had a modest impact on shaping the reputation he enjoys today.
Naman Kumar is a Golf Writer at EssentiallySports. An expert in analytical pieces, he never fails to awe his readers with his niche coverage of big names—like his idol, Phil Mickelson—in the sport. Naman is also adept at predictability pieces, where he explores the immediate future of players, be it through where they’ll play next or whether injuries will cause them to withdraw from an event.
EssentiallySports is a digital-first sports media house that surfaces the best stories on America’s favorite sports celebrities with a fan’s perspective to 30+ M average monthly readers.
