NAPA, Calif. – As Stewart Cink made his way to the practice tee at the Fortinet Championship, he confirmed a change to begin the 2022-23 PGA Tour season – son Reagan is off the bag.
“He threw in his Jani-King towel,” Stewart Cink cracked.
It was here at Silverado Resort’s North Course that son Reagan subbed as his dad’s caddie at the 2020 edition of the tournament formerly known as the Safeway Open and guided his old man to his first victory in more than nine years. A few tournaments later, at the RSM Classic that November, they made it official as a permanent relationship. At the time, Reagan, an industrial engineering graduate of Georgia Tech, put on hold a technology product management job with Delta Airlines.
The caddie gig began on a lark when Reagan, who had been living at home with his parents during COVID-19, told his dad he’d like to caddie for him at an event.
“I said, ‘How about the Safeway?’” Stewart recalled.
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He credited his son with being a calming influence, as at age 47, he shot a final-round 7-under 65 to win the tournament by two strokes over Harry Higgs.
“He’s a great caddie, he’s doing a great job, but I don’t think I want him to become a caddie,” Stewart said at the time. “He’s just a little bit too good at doing this to where I think if he keeps going, he might find a home out here.”
The duo went on to win again at the 2021 RBC Heritage, but this is Cink’s first start at the Fortinet as he missed his title defense to attend Reagan’s wedding last year. Cink, who will turn 50 in May and become PGA Tour Champions eligible, said he wasn’t sure what was next for his son.
“It’s changing on a daily basis,” he said.
And who will be on the bag this week?
Veteran caddie turned NBC/Golf Channel analyst John Wood, who last caddied for Cameron Champ 18 months ago, is hoping to repeat the magic at Silverado as a one-week wonder on the bag. But first Stewart made him walk on a treadmill to make sure the retired caddie could still handle lugging a bag.
“I was going to ask if he needed all 20 of those tees in there,” quipped Wood, a Northern California native who has caddied for the likes of Kevin Sutherland, Hunter Mahan and Matt Kuchar.
Asked if he’s settled on a permanent replacement for his son, Stewart said, “I’ve got a couple of guys in mind.”
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