The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Meet the Angus caddie who saw the ‘human side of Tiger Woods’
Carnoustie caddie Rod Soutar got to know “the real Tiger Woods” during a rollercoaster week at the 1996 Scottish Open.
Rod was chosen by Woods’ late father Earl, who wanted a local caddie who knew his way around Carnoustie.
As an amateur, Woods played all four rounds in the calm weather of 1995 before missing the cut in the tough conditions of 1996 with Rod on the bag.
Rod has a business-asusual demeanour and doesn’t get misty-eyed when anniversaries come round but he professed a genuine affection for the 15-time major winner.
“Tiger was still an amateur in 1996 when he arrived with his dad Earl on a Sunday afternoon looking for a local caddie,” he said.
“I got the job and I knew Tiger by reputation because of his US Amateur success, but at the same time everybody was speaking about Gordon Sherry.”
Sherry, a strapping 6ft 8in 22-year-old from Ayrshire, was the amateur champion who outplayed Woods at Carnoustie in 1995.
Rod was impressed by his power when they got on the course and got to see the “human side of Tiger Woods” that made the week at the Scottish Open so enjoyable.
“After he flew in we immediately went out and played six holes at Carnoustie and I found him to be a really pleasant and fun guy,” said Rod.
“He had played the year before at the Scottish Open and he was cracking jokes and was really so laid back and fun over those first two days.”
The next day the wind picked up and Woods shot 81 in the first round.
Rod said: “I always remember when the tournament started there were 30-40mph winds for those first two rounds and he just tightened up and went into tunnel vision.
“The first couple of holes he was making shots but then the wind just blew him to bits.”
Woods went on to compete in the Open at Royal Lytham and Rod will never forget how he prepared for his assault on the Claret Jug.
“The Open was taking place at Royal Lytham the week after and he told me his friend at Stanford University was going to be caddying for him,” he said.
“He said: ‘We are having a day off and we’re going away to this theme park which has got the biggest rollercoaster in the world’.
“He was really looking forward to going to Blackpool Pleasure Beach to go on the Pepsi Max and it’s something that’s stuck with me.
“That was Tiger. He was so excited about getting away from the golf course.
“That’s why I think he led his life in reverse.
“What he went on to do in his private life is probably what a lot of people would have been doing when they were 17, 18 or 19.”
Rod and Woods took a trip down memory lane when they met again at Carnoustie when Woods was competing in the Open in 1999 and 2018.
Rod added: “He was a really funny guy.
“In 2018 he said he was in a good place and was enjoying his life.”
The 2021 Masters at Augusta this week will be without its most famous golfer as Woods continues to recover from a car crash that will keep him out of competition for the foreseeable future.