PGA Tour caddie goes above (literally) and beyond to find ball at Zurich Classic
By Matt Chivers
Brandon Matthews hit a huge drive on the 18th hole in the first round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans – just slightly in the wrong direction.
So wrong in fact that, although his ball travelled a whopping 325 yards, it finished on top the roof of a temporary concession stand to the left of the fairway.
Although playing partner Sean O’Hair’s drive was safe – it’s a pairs event, remember – Matthews, like so many of us, was keen not to lose his ball.
So his caddie did this…
“Sean made birdie thankfully because I hit it left a few times,” Matthews said after the round.
“It was funny, I heard it hit the stand there, and I heard it hit a few different things, so I knew it was there somewhere. My caddie Petey thankfully went up there and found it.”
O’Hair’s eventual birdie was the pair’s ninth of the day, helping them to card a 61 to sit at the top of the leaderboard.
Talk about dove-tailing?
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Matt Chivers
Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.
Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.
Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.
Matt joined NCG in February 2023 and is the website’s main source of tour news, features and opinion. He has reported live from events such as The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spoken to the likes of Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell, Henrik Stenson, to name just a few.
Consuming tour golf on what is a 24/7 basis, you can come to Matt for informed views on the game and the latest updates on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and LIV Golf.
What’s in Matt’s bag: Cobra LTDx LS driver, Cobra LTDx 3-wood, TaylorMade P7MC irons, Ping Glide 4.0 wedges, Odyssey putter.
