Williams confident of luring Tiger to NZ again

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READY TO DELIVER: New Zealand caddie Steve Williams has pledged to get his boss, Tiger Woods, back to play in New Zealand.

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Steve Williams has pledged to bring Tiger Woods back to New Zealand for another momentous golfing appearance.

Williams, in New Zealand this week to indulge his passion for saloon car racing, told Sunday News he was confident his boss would return here for another big tournament within the next few years.

Woods has played in New Zealand just once – failing to fire in the 2002 NZ Golf Open in Paraparaumu after receiving a contentious $4 million appearance fee.

But seven years on and with Woods having just won the Australian Masters across the ditch, Williams has vowed to work behind the scenes to bring Woods back to New Zealand.

"I am committed to the fact that the one thing missing from my resume is that I have never caddied for the winner of the New Zealand Open," Williams said.

"It is something I would dearly love to do.

"And before my caddying career is finished I will get Tiger back here to play in the New Zealand Open to try and fulfil that dream."

Woods' involvement in the Australian Masters was criticised in some quarters after it was revealed he received an appearance fee of about $4 million. Williams, who is New Zealand's best-paid sportsman despite not actually playing golf, said he couldn't confirm the figure but said appearance fees were part and parcel of the professional sporting arena.

"It doesn't matter what profession you are in. As far as a professional sports person, everybody has an appearance fee," he said.

"I don't know anything about that side of it [the cost]. It is strictly between player and management. But obviously last week there was a lot of talk about it.

"But that tournament was the biggest-ever held in Australia and the most successful. So for those people knocking it, well, if they weren't there they shouldn't be commenting.

"It was an unbelievable event, well run and with an incredible atmosphere – it was like a Major championship.

"Hopefully one day I can talk Tiger into coming back and we can duplicate that here in New Zealand."

The Paraparaumu event that Tiger played in was backed by private investors and made a loss of more than $2 million.