“He was an equal opportunity zombie with relationships” – Tiger Woods’ former agent recalls “betrayal” of sacking him after relationship of 10 years

Tiger Woods is once again making headlines in the golf world for an extra-sporting matter. His former agent recently accused him of “betrayal” for firing him over 25 years ago.

“He was an equal opportunity zombie with relationships,” the former agent said.

Hughes Norton was the agent who worked with Tiger Woods in the early stages of his golf development, before he even turned pro. Now Norton has said that his firing was a “betrayal with a capital B” by Woods.

Norton is about to release a book (Rainmaker), and he gave an interview to the Daily Mail to talk about it. The conversation touched on his time working with Tiger Woods and this was part of what the former agent had to say:

“It was betrayal with a capital B. On a professional level, because I thought I’d done my job in spades. And on a personal level, because it was such a rejection of a relationship that we had built together for 10 years.
“The solace I can take, which doesn’t provide much, is this: He was an equal opportunity zombie with relationships, his swing coaches, his lawyer, the guy negotiated the IMG representation deal, with caddies. When it’s over, it’s over. It is the way he terminates relationships with everyone. Whether it’s girlfriends, whether it’s his former golf coaches. It’s ironic, really.
“In a way, he’s so good at confrontation on the golf course. If he’s playing you, he will beat your brains out every single time. But when it comes to confronting things like me and other people that are in his life, he has no social skills whatsoever. It’s maddening, actually.”
Hughes Norton worked with Tiger Woods from the time he was 13 until his second season as a professional (1998). Many of the most relevant deals of Woods’ career, including the initial one with Nike, passed through the hands of Norton.

Norton subsequently worked with other professional golf stars, including Greg Norman, who also fired him after 11 years working together.

Tiger Woods during his time working with Hughes Norton

Tiger Woods and Hughes Norton (according to Norton himself) began working together in 1989 (when Woods was 13 years old) and ended their relationship in 1998. During that period, the 15-time Major champion performed exceptionally well, as in all stages of his career.

In that span, Woods won the Junior World Golf Championship three times (1989, 1990, 1991) as well as other Junior tournaments (1990 and 1992 Insurance Youth Golf Classic, 1991 Orange Bowl International Junior).

He also won three consecutive editions of the US Junior Amateur (1991, 1992, 1993) and then did the same with the US Amateur (1994, 1995, 1996). By then he was already playing for Stanford University in collegiate golf, where he also made his mark.

Woods won the 1995 College All-America Golf Classic, the 1996 NCAA Division I Championship, the NCAA West Regional and the Pac-10 Championship. That same year he decided to begin his professional career.

During his first three seasons on the PGA Tour (1996-1998), Woods won seven tournaments, including his first Major (The Masters, 1997). In addition, he won the 1998 Johnnie Walker Classic on the European Tour.