Usually when a golfer is playing poorly the caddy is the first to go.

So when Tiger Woods announced via his website that he and long-time caddy, Steve Williams were splitting, it really should not have been a shock.

Woods has not won an event anywhere since capturing the 2009 Australian Masters in Melbourne.

In the intervening period, Woods has lost his long-time World No. 1 ranking and is currently ranked a lowly 20th.

Woods went onto his www.tigerwoods.com to say:  “I want to express my deepest gratitude to Stevie for all his help, but I think it’s time for a change.

“Stevie is an outstanding caddie and a friend and has been instrumental in many of my accomplishments. I wish him great success in the future.”

The New Zealand born caddy responded by putting out a statement of his own on his website expressing his shock at being dumped.

Williams said: “Following the completion of the AT&T National I am no longer caddying for Tiger after he informed me that he needed to make a change.

“After 13 years of loyal service needless to say this came as a shock.

“Given the circumstances of the past 18 months working through Tiger’s scandal, a new coach and with it a major swing change and Tiger battling through injuries I am very disappointed to end our very successful partnership at this time.

“I have had the opportunity to work of late for Australian Adam Scott and will now caddy for him on a permanent basis.

“Having started my caddying career with Australian great Peter Thompson and working for Greg Norman in the 80’s I am excited about the future working for another Australian.”

Naturally, Williams sounds bitterly disappointed given also Woods and Williams were the very best of friends while Woods travelled to New Zealand to attend Williams’ wedding, and Willliams in turn was at Woods’ wedding.

The pair were virtually inseperable.

But in the time together, Woods has made Williams a very weathly individual earning more than 10 of Woods’ prize money from 13 Major victories and 70 other tournament wins around the globe.

Since turning pro Woods has only had two full time caddies, Williams and American Mike ‘Fluff’ Cowan, who was on the bag when Woods captured his first Major – 1997 Masters.

However others to caddy for Woods have included childhood friend, Byron Bell, who caddied for Woods when he won the Buick Invitational in 1999 and 2000.

And Billy Foster filled in to caddy for Woods at the Presidents Cup in 2005 when Williams was home in New Zealand for the birth of his son.