Woods shares emotional story about first Masters and man he'd 'do anything' for
Tiger Woods has admitted he would 'do anything' for his former caddie Joe LaCava, after opening up on an encounter with LaCava and Fred Couples at his first ever Masters Tournament in 1995.
Woods has cemented himself as arguably the greatest golfer of all time throughout his career, winning a record-equalling 82 times on the PGA Tour. 11 of those came alongside LaCava, who he hired in 2011 before winning his fifth green jacket at the 2019 Masters.
It was 24 years earlier though that the 15-time major champion enjoyed one of his favourite moments alongside his former caddie, who at the time was working with 1992 Masters champion Couples.
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A fresh-faced, 19-year-old Woods was still in the very early stages of his playing days, and found himself a world away from the stardom he currently holds today. Unsurprisingly a young Woods was somewhat nervous when it came to chatting alongside a PGA Tour great in Couples in his first ever practice round at Augusta, but the then teenager was encouraged to do so by LaCava.
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Reminiscing, Woods told Fore Play Golf: "I played my first Masters practice round with Raymond [Lloyd] and Fred [Couples]. I am nervous I'm not talking to these guys, they are Masters champions, I'm just this little amateur. I'm 19 years old, I'm not saying anything.
"Joey [LaCava] says, 'Hey go and talk to Fred about this, and go and ask Raymond how to play this hole,' and Joey was like urging me to do that. Then we are going up 18 and [LaCava says], 'why don't you talk to Fred about the U.S. Open?'. I'm like 'I don't want to get in anyone's way'.
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Tiger Woods played his first Masters in 1995 as a fresh-faced teenager"He says 'hold on', then we are walking up 18 and he goes up to Fred and after we are done Fred goes 'Hey what are you doing at Shinnecock [1995 U.S. Open] on Tuesday?'. I said 'I don't know Mr. Couples, I just hope I am going to be there'.
"'At 10 o'clock, you me and Raymond will play a practice round.'" He went on: "This was pre-cell phones, so there is no way of communicating. So I was just have to wait April May and June and just have to hope they turn up and hopefully they remember they scheduled a practice round with a 19-year-old kid! And then boom they are there."
He referred back to LaCava who helped him set up the relationship, adding: "That is where my relationship with Joey was cemented. So that is why were so lockstep, I'd do anything for him." Woods joined forces with LaCava 16 years later, before the pair split in 2023.
LaCava has since teamed up with Patrick Cantlay, and was infamously involved in a heated clash with Rory McIlroy following the second day of last Autumn's Ryder Cup in Rome.
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