Robin Tiger Williams: Dual nationality golfer helping hard-up players in South Africa

Robin Williams finished joint 20th at the prestigious Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa earlier this month

He's got a long way to go to match the earning power of his golfing namesake, but for Robin Tiger Williams the 'drive for show, putt for dough' part of his career is going along nicely.

'Tiger Mark 2' won the Fortress Invitational title on South Africa's Sunshine Tour in October and is 16th on their order of merit.

However, playing the game of golf is not just about prize money and glory for Williams, from Peterborough Milton golf club in Cambridgeshire.

At the age of just 22, it's also about giving something back.

He is providing financial support for non-white players in South Africa who are struggling to meet the costs of travelling to tournaments and supporting their families.

"You see the top 1% (of golfers) that fly private jets, but for the other 99% it's just not as glamorous," Williams told BBC Look East.

"You're travelling through rural areas, staying in not great places, but you have to work your way up. Obviously the main goal is to play the PGA tour and in the majors but it's a long road to get there.

"When people think of the professional life, they don't actually realise how much of a difference it is compared to what you see on TV."

After competing at Q (qualifying) School earlier this year and winning his card to play on the tour, Williams spoke to a group of other players to hear some of their stories of hardship.

"One of the guys I played with at the Q school, for three years he had to give up playing golf and sell ice, because that was the only way to provide for his family," he said.

"I'm very grateful and lucky in my life that I've got two parents that work very hard to be able to give me the chance to travel around and play against the best players in the world. But hearing some of the stories (about what) these guys had to go through broke my heart.

"I sat down afterwards with my dad and basically said 'look is there anything we could do from our side to help these guys?' and we came up with a plan to approach my sponsor about if it's possible to fund five to 10 guys to pay for their accommodation, their flights, their caddies, just to make sure they can just focus on their golf - so they can have a better chance of keeping their card and keep providing for their families.

"At the moment I'm giving away every cent that I earn and putting it into a pot to fund these guys."

'Sleeping by the green'

Robin Tiger Williams met South African golf legend Gary Player

After winning his tour card, Williams' second tournament of the year was the Zanaco Masters in Zambia in May.

He said: "Instead of taking a flight, there were four guys that took a bus from Johannesburg which is a four-day drive. They left on Saturday and got there Tuesday night to then sleep on the sixth green.

"I woke up early, went to the course and found them sleeping next to the green. They only had seven rand in their pockets which isn't even enough to go to KFC and buy yourself a kiddie's meal. It's just not right."

Williams continued: "Living in the UK, you don't see those things until you are fully exposed to it.

"It was a massive eye opener for me to know that when you are on the golf course, some of these guys are fighting for their lives, playing for their families' lives, fighting for their mortgages, all that.

"Golf is hard enough in general but when you have a three-foot putt to make the cut and you need to make it otherwise your family doesn't eat, your kids can't go to school, it's a different type of stress that luckily enough I'm not exposed to."

Woods remains role model

It was in 2017 that Williams made his European Tour debut at the British Masters, aged just 16, shooting rounds of 71 and 73.

The teenage Robin Tiger Williams took advice from former Open champion Shane Lowry

Although named after 15-time major winner Tiger Woods, he said at the time: "I don't see a lot of similarities between me and Tiger... but he's a big role model of mine and I'd like to emulate him on the golf course."

He has a long way to go to scale those heights, but the 2018 Junior Ryder Cup player is gradually coming to terms with the professional life.

"I got my card on the Sunshine Tour in April so I'm still a rookie on the tour and the main goal was just to play well enough so I could be able to play in the bigger co-sanctioned events once they came," he said.

"Luckily enough I was able to win in October which meant I could play in all of those events when they came round, which was a massive relief. A lot of stress was taken off my shoulders, I didn't have to pre-qualify and play against 120 guys for three spots.

"It's been a blast, I've learned so much, I've played some unbelievable golf courses with some major champions that I've been paired with. I got to pick their brains a little bit and see what it takes to get to that level. I've still got half the season left to go so hopefully I can continue playing well."

Although now 47, and following several serious injuries, Woods declared earlier this week that he believes he is still capable of winning tournaments.

"Ever since Tiger came out in 1996, he opened so many doors for us, not just non-white people, golfers in general. He inspired people to play the sport in a way nobody else has," Williams added.

Dual citizenship

Robin Tiger Williams uses the latest technology to hone his game

Williams was born in South Africa but came to England when he was a child and has dual citizenship.

For now though, Williams is content to play as a South African as a way of boosting his profile.

"At the moment, because I'm playing in South Africa, it's just better for me. I can get a little bit more exposure out there, better pairings, more around the TV times," he said.

"When you're playing, especially in the big events, you're not just having to deal with playing, it's dealing with the cameras in your face, hundreds of people watching you, it's a different kind of pressure.

"I've represented England on the junior and amateur circuit. At the moment, I'm playing under the South African flag because it opens more door for me."

So will he have to choose between the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup in the future?

"Hopefully I can get across that bridge one day," he added.

Robin Tiger Williams was speaking to BBC Look East's Tom Williams