Tiger Woods Fires Caddie in Latest Radical Shift

Tiger Woods' caddie has stuck by the embattled golfer for 12 years. But Steve Williams is now on the offense against Woods after he was fired this week. Williams then told CNN he was "very disappointed" in the former No. 1 after his sex scandals, although the caddie stuck by him anyway until his firing. Yet it is just the latest move by Tiger to change his approach on the course, even though his previous changes haven't worked well so far.

What Woods really needs right now is a better swing, which he hasn't been able to regain since longtime swing coach Hank Haney resigned in May 2010. New teacher Sean Foley hasn't been working out, as the most feared man in golf has looked less and less fearsome in the last year-and-a-half.

Perhaps firing his longtime caddie won't make too much of a different when Woods comes back, but it does show how he is moving away from what has worked for him. Since his old winning formula isn't working as much, he seems set on undergoing a full-blown renovation before he can come back from injury.

Abandoning what has worked before may seem like a rash move in one aspect, since what worked before helped him become such a dominant player. But nowadays, Woods has dropped back down due to injury, personal turmoil, and a field that is starting to catch up to him.

Yet because there is tougher competition nowadays, it may warrant a brand new approach from Woods. In any case, it is obvious that even his old style and game plan hasn't been working lately and would likely never have worked the way it used to again.

But it seems there was more to firing his caddie than just trying to reinvent his game. One other potential reason for the firing may have been how Williams defected to Adam Scott's side at the British Open last week. However, given that Woods probably won't play again for a long time, it might be understandable that Williams tried to find more work in the meantime.

Still, Woods was out for a lengthy period after winning the 2008 U.S. Open on one leg, and his caddie didn't go to anyone else then. But that was during a time when Tiger was a fully beloved icon and seemed unstoppable en route to every record in golf.

Things are different now, as evidenced by how all of Woods' old constants on his team are gone. Whoever his new caddie is -- and there should still be a long line for the job -- he will be witness to a brand new Tiger in many aspects. But can he still change for the best, or will all his tinkering only hasten his decline further?

Sources

CNN.com- "Tiger Woods's former caddie: Sex scandal made me lose respect for him"

NBC Sports- "With Williams gone, who is left for Woods?"