Woods ex-caddie makes surprise return to bag for | Golf News

Tiger Woods’ legendary former caddie Steve Williams has ended his retirement to companion with rising star Anthony Quayle for the opening event of the DP World Tour season.

Woods has been absent from competitors in 2025 following a ruptured left Achilles sustained during training in March. The 15-time major winner has since been supporting his son, Charlie, on the course while also developing his relationship with Vanessa Trump.

Throughout his distinguished profession, Williams has labored alongside elite gamers including Jason Day, Greg Norman, and Adam Scott. Yet he stays most celebrated for his partnership with Woods from 1999 to 2011, during which the American dominated as world primary for prolonged intervals.

Following 40 years in the occupation, Williams hung up his caddie bib. But the 62 12 months previous will make his comeback with Quayle at the Australian PGA Championship – the season-opening event of the 2025-26 DP World Tour calendar.

Quayle secured his DP World Tour card as one of three gamers from the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia’s order of benefit rankings last season, making this his debut look. The 31-year-old expressed his pleasure about Williams’ involvement, describing his data as equal to carrying a “15th club” in his arsenal.

“I’m just incredibly fortunate that Steve was willing to come and help me out,” Quayle told Australian Golf Digest. “It’s just a really cool experience. I think having somebody like Steve on your bag, you can’t help but feel you’ve maybe got a 15th club in the bag. There’s a fair bit of experience and golf IQ that comes along with his career. Just really excited about the next couple weeks.”

Williams is thrilled to companion with Quayle, a Queensland Open and PGA victor who secured a top 15 end at the one hundred and fiftieth Open Championship at St Andrews. The stakes are high; the champion will secure a spot in next 12 months’s Masters, while the top three contenders will earn a place in The Open at Royal Birkdale.

“Anthony’s had a lot of experience, and he’s got the great opportunity this year of playing on the DP World Tour,” Williams said. “It’s a first time experience for him and he’s got the talent and ability. If I can pass on any information that might assist him in his journey, it’s worth it. I don’t look at it from the results standpoint these two weeks, it’s about what he can get out of me and to encourage him to fulfil his potential.”

He additional added: “Anthony’s got the game. It’s the first time I’ve seen him play up close and should he be fortunate enough to clinch a win at the Australian Open, he’s got the game to compete at Augusta.

“Everybody next week will probably be excited. It just brings another degree to the Australian Open. It’s a unbelievable event in itself and if you look at that Stonehaven Cup through the years, and the great gamers who traveled the world and received the Australian Open, Gary Player, Greg Norman, Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus for instance, and it was always thought of along with the Canadian Open, exterior of the majors, as one of the most important tournaments in golf.

“Now that the Augusta is inviting the winner to play the Masters, it just gives an added edge, a bit more importance to it. So, there’ll be a lot on the line next Sunday afternoon.”

The Australian PGA Championship runs from Nov. 26-30 at Royal Queensland Golf Club.