This year has already hit us with some high profile player-caddie splits.
Don’t pretend you weren’t devastated to hear Phil Mickelson and Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay were parting ways after 25 years together. Though fewer tears were shed when the news of Rory McIlroy and JP Fitzgerald broke.
So with caddies very much in the news, we thought we’d dig out our favourite bagman moments from down the years…
The celebration seen round the world
Let’s start off with a recent one.
This long eagle putt from Jordan Spieth on the 15th at Royal Birkdale was a pivotal moment in his surge to victory on the final stretch.
But it was his command to caddie Michael Greller to “go get that” when his putt dropped that will go down as one standout moments of the tournament.
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The celebration missed round the world
We’ve all seen that iconic chip from Tiger Woods at the 2005 Masters over and over. And over.
But while you got all caught up in cries of “In your life!” you missed Woods and caddie Stevie Williams make a meal of their celebration. Any excuse to watch the clip again…
https://youtu.be/vRCjJi_uDp8
Fun with flags
Mickelson is so confident with his chipping that at this year’s Masters he told his now-former caddie Bones to tend the flagstick on the par-5 13th even though he was around 60 yards away from the green.
And Phil being Phil, he stuck within just a couple of feet…
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Bump and grind
Spieth couldn’t have picked a more dramatic way to clinch his 10th PGA Tour title.
The three-time major winner holed out from a bunker in the first sudden death play-off hole of the Travelers Championship against Daniel Berger.
The spontaneous celebration with caddie Greller was something to behold…
Rough week at Erin Hills
So long was the rough at Erin Hills prior to this year’s US Open that players were posting videos on social media in the build up to emphasise the eye-watering length.
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But the winner was this effort from Lee Westwood and caddie Billy Foster…
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The first rule of fight club
Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather locked horns in May 2015 in one of the most eagerly anticipated bouts in boxing history. But it wasn’t the only fight on everyone’s lips that weekend.
Live footage was beamed across the world of some ugly scenes at the WGC-Match Play Championship involving Miguel Angel Jimenez, Keegan Bradley and his caddie Steve Hale.
There was raised voices and finger pointing as tempers erupted in a rules row that saw Bradley and his caddie square up to the popular Spaniard…
You’re fired
The relationship between Jessica Korda and her caddie Jason Gilroyed broke down to such an extent during the third round of the 2013 US Open that she sacked him after nine holes.
Boyfriend Johnny DelPrete picked up the bag and Korda went from shooting 5-over on the front nine to 1-under on the back.
A similar scenario unfolded at the 2015 Canadian Open after Robert Allenby’s Mick Middlemo walked off after just four holes following an ugly argument…
Remembrance
The 2006 Open from Royal Liverpool produced one of Woods’ most emphatic performances at a major championship, especially impressive given his father had died just two months prior.
After the clinching putt, Woods buried his head in the shoulder of caddie Williams and sobbed uncontrollably and the world sobbed with him.
Ready, set, go!
The caddie race was a familiar and fun staple of the Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale, well, until the PGA Tour decided people were having too much fun and banned the ritual. (Disclaimer: They actually banned for health and safety reasons.)
Shame, because it provided some genuine laugh out loud moments like this one…
