For two decades, golf analysts dissected every inch of Tiger Woods’s game — his flawless swing, his mental armor, his dominance under pressure. Yet, as it turns out, they missed one of his greatest gifts. And it wasn’t the one anyone expected. Steve Williams, Woods’s caddie of 12 years shed light on it in Tee It Up podcast.

“Playing out of the rough. [Tiger] was best player out of the rough ever without question. His ability to dig the ball out of not great lies and hit it hit it approximately pin high was beyond belief,” told Williams on Monday when asked about Woods’s most underrated skill.

The 15x major winner’s speed through the rough came from a blend of strength and precision. Williams explained how most golfers see the clubface twist shut when thick grass grabs the hosel. Woods didn’t. He held the club square through impact, producing flight and distance when others could barely advance the ball. Physics backs that up — dense, rough surfaces slow swing speed, reduce spin, and compromise control. The golfer countered every bit of that with sheer athleticism and mental focus. Then came the moment that proved it all. The 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.

On the par-5 sixth hole, Woods pushed his drive into four inches of wet rough and faced a 205-yard carry over water and trees. “One of the greatest shots he ever hit was that shot at Pebble Beach on the par five out of the right hand rough over the water up the hill there. No other player on the planet would attempt it, let alone hit it on the green and make birdie,” said Williams remembering that shot. You will, too. See below the video.

Woods pulled a 7-iron. The ball soared over the cove and settled just short of the green. NBC’s Roger Maltbie summed it up perfectly on air — “It’s just not a fair fight.” Woods went on to win that U.S. Open by 15 shots, still the largest margin in major history.

“I mean, his his ability to move the ball out of the rough, his strength and his club head speed and the way he managed to hold that club square when you’re playing out of deep rough was something that not a lot written about that, but it was something amazing,” said Williams, reiterating Woods’s underrated skill.

Williams’ view carries weight because he was there for every round, every major, every impossible recovery for the course of 12 years. The duo won 63 PGA Tour titles and 13 majors together. His inside look at Woods’s habits and preparation gave him a unique lens on how often those “routine” par saves changed everything.

However, his partnership with Tiger wasn’t always smooth. Williams once admitted he nearly turned down the job because of a comment about Jack Nicklaus that left him intimidated. Anyways, the context only deepens his insight. When someone that close to greatness tells you what really made Tiger different, you listen.

The numbers behind the Tiger Woods mastery

The stats don’t lie. From 1999 to 2009, Tiger’s scrambling averaged near 66%. In 2001, he led the PGA Tour with a 69.78% score, nearly ten points higher than the field average. That meant he saved par seven out of ten times he missed a green. An enormous advantage in major championships.

The results followed, notably at Pebble Beach in 2000. Augusta in 2005. Torrey Pines in 2008. Each win featured moments where Tiger’s recovery game kept rounds alive. Even when he was playing on one leg in 2008, his touch around the greens turned potential doubles into pars and pressure into momentum.

His edge came not just from talent but from mindset. He believed there was always a way out, no matter how bad the lie looked. That belief, paired with technical mastery, crushed opponents who never recovered from one mistake.

Williams’ revelation changes how we see Tiger Woods. His legend wasn’t built only on perfect drives and 20-foot putts — it lived in the ugly lies and deep grass where others folded.

As modern players chase his legacy, perhaps the real lesson lies there. And not in the highlight reels, but in the hidden grind that turned trouble into triumph.