Tag: Caddie

Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay returning to full-time TV duties at NBC/Golf Channel, starting at U.S. Open

Bones is lightening his load once again.

Jim “Bones” Mackay is lightening his load once again – from 14 clubs in a PGA Tour bag to simply a microphone.

Sam Flood, the executive producer of NBC Sports and president of production, confirmed on a conference call with media that Bones is back full time as part of a multi-year deal.

“He will be part of NBC Sports for years to come as we’re going to partner for a long time with him,” Flood said.

Bones previously had been announced as part of the broadcast team for NBC Spots/Golf Channel’s coverage of the U.S. Open next week at Pinehurst No. 2, where he caddied for Phil Mickelson in the final group in 1999 and finished second as well as in 2005 and 2014.

“It’s great for me and I couldn’t be happier about the situation,” Bones said in a separate phone call with Golfweek. “In terms of where I am in my life this is the perfect scenario for me and I couldn’t be more pleased.”

Bones, 59, is regarded as one of the most popular and best caddies in the game. He spent a stretch of 25 years as caddie for Mickelson before joining NBC in 2017 as an on-course reporter and quickly becoming one of the best in the business in that role. He took a step back from his TV gig to join forces with Justin Thomas in September 2021. They won one title together – the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills.

2024 Players Championship
Justin Thomas and caddie Jim “Bones” MacKay look on from the 14th fairway during the second round of the 2024 Players Championship on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. (Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Their partnership ended after the Valspar Championship in March. When Thomas had been off, Bones still did TV from time to time for NBC, including for the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship last year, and he served as the lead analyst for the Tour’s Mexico Open, the first time an active caddie has ever filled that role.

“I’m going to do several (tournaments) this year,” said Bones of an NBC schedule that still includes the British Open, all three of the FedEx Cup Playoff events and late-season unofficial events such as the Hero World Challenge and PNC Championship. “It’s a bit TBD and will have a more well-established schedule the next few years.”

Bones said he’s game for whatever Flood and longtime NBC golf producer Tommy Roy, who first hired him for a tryout role at the 2015 RSM Classic, want him to do but he expects to contribute mostly as an on-course reporter. Asked whether he will still pursue caddying, he said, “Television is my No. 1 priority and I’ll do what I did before – if someone is sick or between caddies and needs a guy for a week and it’s not an NBC event, then I’d be happy to help out, but beyond that I will be doing TV primarily as far as what I do for a living.”

Jim Furyk, caddie Mike ‘Fluff’ Cowan part amicably after 25 years as Fluff takes permanent bag on PGA Tour

“Sometimes the right thing to do is staring you right in the face and you’ve got to have the guts to do it.”

McKINNEY, Texas – For the last 25 years, Jim Furyk and Mike “Fluff” Cowan have gone together like Forrest Gump and a box of chocolates. But all good things must come to an end. Fluff has a new steady bag, working at this week’s CJ Cup Byron Nelson for C.T. Pan.

“It’s hard to part ways after 25 years,” Cowan said. “Sometimes the right thing to do is staring you right in the face and you’ve got to have the guts to do it.”

But to hear Fluff tell it, Furyk had to threaten to fire him — “Don’t make me do it because I will,” he joked — before Fluff would officially end what has been one of the game’s endearing partnerships of more than two decades dating to the 1999 Masters. It might be one of the few cases where a player and caddie truly split amicably.

C.T. Pan and Mike “Fluff” Cowan on the seventh the at the CJ CUP (Adam Schupak/Golfweek)

“Love the guy,” Furyk wrote in a text while fishing with his father in South Carolina. “I’m still struggling with injuries and I pushed him to work for C.T. full time.”

The reason was a simple case of economics. Furyk, who has been dealing with injuries that sidelined him for much of last season, is 53 and has been able to make only limited starts on PGA Tour Champions.

“We play for $2 million. They play for $8-, $20-, $25-million,” Furyk said. “I knew it was a good opportunity for him, and C.T. has been playing pretty good (T-3 at the Mexico Open being his best result). (Fluff) was hesitant. Because he’s a great person at heart. But I pushed and we both knew it was best for him and his family.”

Fluff hooked up with Pan earlier this season in Hawaii and this week marks their ninth event together. Pan has banked $674,187 so far this season. Fluff worked for Furyk at two senior events, most recently at the Galleri Classic in late March. Furyk has earned $19,464 this season and hasn’t finished better than T-33.

Furyk, who had a friend from his junior golf days in Pennsylvania on his bag at the Invited Celebrity Classic two weeks ago in Dallas, said he expects to play next week at the Regions Tradition in Birmingham, Alabama, a Champions tour major. Who is going to caddie for him? His son, Tanner, a sophomore lacrosse player at Sewanee, is scheduled to work for his old man at 3-4 upcoming tournaments.

MORE FLUFF: Everybody loves Fluff, golf’s most famous caddie

On Wednesday, Fluff and his trademark fluffy, walrus mustache were as popular as ever. Fans, calling him “Mr. Fluff,” asked for his autograph and he obliged. At the tee of the sixth hole, a short par 4, Pan pulled a fairway wood and Fluff told him that there was an argument to be made for hitting the big stick but he loved the play for him. After the shot, a member of the Salesmanship Club of Dallas, the host organization that runs the annual Tour stop here, came over and hugged Fluff. It was Matt Weibring, son of D.A. Weibring, who turned pro in 1975 a year before Fluff showed up in a Tour parking lot looking for a bag. The iron man of golf caddies says he’s planning to caddie for at least one more year; that is until his daughter, who is wrapping up her junior year at Clemson University, graduates. “I’ve got one more year of payments,” he said with a sigh. A hole later, during a backup on the par-3 seventh, Pan met a couple of young girls from Momentous Institute, the tournament’s main charity. Pan introduced Angela, 10, to Fluff and said if she could guess how old he was he’d sign a glove to her.

“Sixty-seven,” she said with a smile.

“You’re sweet,” said Fluff, whispering in her ear the correct age of 76.

“I came out for one summer 47 years ago,” he said. “It’s been a very long summer.”

The endless summer continues, just with a new boss.

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Justin Thomas parts ways with caddie Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay a week before The Masters

Just a week before the start of the 2024 Masters, Justin Thomas shockingly decides to part ways with his caddie, Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay.

Next Thursday, April 11, the 2024 edition of The Masters will be teeing off live from Augusta National in Georgia. This week, former Alabama Crimson Tide golfer [autotag]Justin Thomas[/autotag] made the shocking decision to part ways with legendary caddie Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay ahead of the iconic tournament.

Mackay worked as the caddie for Phil Mickelson from 1992 until 2017 when they mutually parted ways. Mackay spent the next four years working as a commentator for NBC/Golf Channel, before returning to the sport in 2021 to caddie for Thomas.

At this moment in time, nobody knows exactly what led to the split between the No. 28 golfer in the world and his caddie, but the timing is very interesting, to say the least.

Thomas issued a statement regarding the decision saying,

“While incredibly difficult for me to say, Bones and I have parted ways. I’m going to be forever thankful for him joining me on the bag in 2021. The things we’ve been able to accomplish together – The PGA Championship in 2022, The Presidents Cup, The Ryder Cups were all unforgettable experiences. His wisdom on and off the course has been a blessing during a tough stretch of my career and he was there every step of the way. I know there are great things coming for both of us down the road. I wish him the best of luck and will always count him and his family amongst my friends.”

It is still unknown who will be on the bag for Thomas next week, but he will have to move quickly, as he looks to claim his first-ever Masters title.

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Justin Thomas announces split from caddie Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay, who will loop at Masters?

Justin Thomas will have a new caddie next week at the Masters.

Justin Thomas will have a new caddie next week at the Masters.

He announced Wednesday on social media he was splitting with Jim “Bones” Mackay, calling the decision “incredibly difficult for me to say.” Mackay joined Thomas’ bag in late 2021, and the duo won the 2022 PGA Championship together.

Mackay was the longtime looper for Phil Mickelson before the duo split in 2017. Then, Mackay went to work full-time for NBC Sports and Golf Channel doing commentary. He was the fill-in lead analyst for NBC during the PGA Tour stop in Mexico. At the time, he said he wasn’t interested in the full-time job, replacing Paul Azinger.

“I’m going to be forever thankful for him joining me on the bag in 2021,” Thomas wrote in a post on social media. “His wisdom on and off the course has been a blessing during a tough stretch of my career and he was there every step of the way.”

As for who will take over for Thomas full-time, the two-time major champion, we won’t have to wait long to find out. He’s in the field next week for the first men’s major championship of the year, the Masters.

Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis reported it will be Matt Minister on the bag for Thomas at Augusta National. Minister caddied for Patrick Cantlay when he won the 2021 Tour Championship.

Thomas worked with Jimmy Johnson since Thomas started out as a rookie in 2015 before Mackay took over the bag. Mackay caddied for Thomas when he won the 2020 WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational before he was full-time on Thomas’ bag.

Tim Mickelson retires from caddying, ends 8-year on-course relationship with brother Phil Mickelson

“I’m very lucky to have had him on the bag for me the past eight years and as my brother for life,” said Phil.

Lefty needs a new looper.

Phil Mickelson announced on social media that his brother, Tim Mickelson, has retired from caddying, ending an eight-year on-course relationship highlighted by Phil’s historic 2021 PGA Championship victory and subsequent move to LIV Golf. Tim took the job after Phil and longtime caddie Jim “Bones” Mackay split in 2017 and was on the bag for Lefty’s wins at the 2018 WGC-Mexico Championship and 2019 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Before he caddied for his brother, Tim was a college golf coach at the University of San Diego and Arizona State University, where he coached Jon Rahm. He then briefly served as Rahm’s agent for a year before he started his career as a caddie.

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Tiger Woods has chosen this veteran caddie to work for him at the Genesis Invitational

Golfweek has learned this veteran caddie has been chosen by Woods for the plum assignment at Riviera.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. – Tiger Woods is back in action this week as the playing host of the PGA Tour’s Genesis Invitational. That has been anticipated for some time. But who will be on the bag for Woods now that Joe LaCava has taken up permanent residence with Patrick Cantlay?

Golfweek has learned that veteran caddie Lance Bennett has been chosen by Woods for the plum assignment at Riviera. Woods knows Bennett well from his days caddying for Matt Kuchar, including a win alongside him at the 2012 Players, during his prime.

In recent years, Bennett has been on the bag for Sungjae Im and Davis Riley and he also spent time on the LPGA with Juli Inkster, Paula Creamer and Lorena Ochoa. This season, he’s working full-time for Tour rookie Adrien Dumont de Chassart, a Belgian golfer who competed at Illinois and won twice on the Korn Ferry Tour, earning KFT Player of the Year honors last season.

Dumont de Chassart (nicknamed ADDC for short) and Woods are managed by the same agency, and Dumont de Chassart isn’t in the field this week, which makes it easy for Bennett to jump to Tiger’s bag. It’s possible that Bennett could be on the bag for Tiger at the Players Championship and the Masters too, but sources say that Tiger may bounce around between some different caddies.

Photos: Tiger Woods through the years

Rob McNamara, Tiger’s longtime business partner and vice president of TGR Ventures, caddied for Tiger at the Hero World Challenge in December and could fill the role again and Woods didn’t shut down the possibility of son Charlie serving as his sidekick in the future when asked if he might tote his bag.

Woods is making his first official Tour start since withdrawing from the Masters after making the cut in April. How much Woods plays this season will depend on his health, but he’s made it very clear he expects to play a limited schedule focused around the majors.

Woods originally had Mike “Fluff” Cowan on the bag when he won the 1997 Masters, then won 13 majors and 72 Tour titles with Steve Williams, and joined up with LaCava in 2012.

Efforts to confirm Tiger’s caddie with his management team were not returned.

In other caddie news, Paul Tesori has moved to the bag of Tom Kim. Tesori spent 12 years on the bag of Webb Simpson before moving to Cameron Young last March. Tesori started the year with Brendon Todd but wasn’t on Todd’s bag in Phoenix. Kim had Joe Skovron last season until he was hired away by Ludvig Aberg. Kim began the year with Daniel Parratt. When asked about joining Kim, Tesori said, “I’m looking forward to what will hopefully be another long term relationship on the bag. Tom is obviously extremely talented but having faith as a common denominator is something that I believe will help when golf gets difficult, which it seems to always be!”

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PGA Tour caddie has hilarious interaction with fan, says be quiet in the most polite way possible

“We’re playing golf over here.”

Professional caddies have a nearly impossible job, even when done right.

Although they’re not the ones hitting the shots, they’re in charge of helping players dial in a yardage, figure out where the wind is coming from and how a certain slope is going to affect ball flight.

And sometimes, caddies have to perform crowd control.

Enter Aaron Flener, caddie for two-time PGA Tour winner J.T. Poston, who is in the field at this week’s 2024 American Express in La Quinta, California. Poston carded a 5-under 67 on Thursday, but on his final hole of the day at PGA West’s Pete Dye Stadium Course, he found the bunker on the par-4 18th.

As Poston lined up for his second shot, cameras panned to him waggling in the bunker, but a fan close by was having a phone conversation. That’s when Flener put a swift end to it in the most polite way possible.

“Sir, can you hang up the phone, please? We’re playing golf over here.”

The comments brought a chuckle from the announcers, and even Poston stepped off his ball and put his hand up to his ear, making a phone gesture with his fingers.

American Express: Photos | Friday tee times

No need to fret, however. Poston was able to get out of the bunker and make par to finish his day strong.

And for Flener, it was just another day on the job.

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Lexi Thompson hires new full-time caddie on verge of 2024 LPGA season

Thompson is hoping to carry momentum from late ’23 into the new season.

Last year was an interesting one for Lexi Thompson. In her first 10 events of 2023, Thompson missed eight cuts, including a stretch of five straight from the U.S. Women’s Open to the Portland Classic.

But something clicked after leaving the Pacific Northwest.

Thompson finished T-19 (Kroger Queen City Championship), T-8 (Walmart NW Arkansas Championship), 5th (The Ascendant LPGA) and T-7 (The Annika) over her final four official LPGA starts of the year. At the Solheim Cup, Thompson compiled a 3-1-0 record. She also teamed with Rickie Fowler at the inaugural Grant Thornton Invitational in December and tied for sixth.

Well, after a successful end to 2023, Thompson has hired a new full-time caddie for the upcoming ’24 season.

MORE: Longest-standing and successful player/caddie LPGA duos

Colton Heisey, who was on the bag for Thompson’s last three LPGA starts, will now be looping for the American star full-time.

“I’m super grateful for the opportunity to work with one of the best to ever do it,” Heisey wrote in a post to social media.

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Caddie carousel: Tom Kim hires new caddie, Cameron Young to have new bagman as Paul Tesori heads to a veteran pro

Plenty of players will have new caddies in 2024.

Tis the season to be jolly as well as for pro golfers to switch golf gear and change caddies.

The caddie carousel is the focus of this story. Ludvig Aberg, No. 30 in the Official World Golf Ranking, got the party started a few weeks ago by hiring Joe Skovron away from Tom Kim.

“For next year, all I’m looking for is more experience in these bigger tournaments,” he told Smylie Kaufman on his podcast “The Smylie Show.” “I wanted someone I could rely on 1,000 percent, and I think with the experience in the past that Joe has kind of speaks for itself and I think that’s mainly what I’m looking for. Playing a U.S. Open where you win with 6 under, it’s difficult to get away with mistakes and I think that’s what went into that decision.”

Golfweek has learned that Kim has hired a replacement, choosing Daniel Parratt, who formerly caddied for Kim’s International Team Presidents Cup teammate K.H. Lee.

Kim, who is ranked No. 11 in the world, won the Shriners Children’s Open twice with Skovron on the bag and was the darling of the 2022 Presidents Cup. Kim’s agent declined to confirm the caddie change.

Kim isn’t the only top-25 ranked player who will have a new caddie next season. Golfweek has learned that Cameron Young will have a new sidekick, too, when he starts the season at The Sentry in Maui.

Longtime caddie Paul Tesori confirmed to Golfweek that he has jumped ship to the bag of veteran pro Brendon Todd, a three-time Tour winner who is coming off a season in which he finished in the top 50 of the FedEx Cup and is booked for eight signature events in 2024. Tesori, who spent more than 12 years working for Webb Simpson, joined Young one of the top young players on Tour and ranked No. 21 in the world, in March at the WGC-Dell Match Play.

But with Todd’s caddie David Clark moving to LIV to work for Ian Poulter, Tesori, who has been dealing with a back injury, has opted to go with the veteran over a rising star who has seemed on the verge of reaching the winner’s circle for some time. It’s unclear who will work for Young next season. An email requesting comment was unanswered at this time. But with the new season scheduled to start on Jan. 4, it won’t be long until we find out.

Where’s Paul Tesori? Here’s why Cameron Young’s caddie is absent at the World Wide Technology Championship

Tesori was a good enough player to earn his Tour card before switching to caddying.

LOS CABOS, Mexico — Cameron Young didn’t miss a beat in the first round of the World Wide Technology Championship.

On Thursday, in his return to the PGA Tour for the first time since getting bounced after the second of three events in the FedEx Cup Playoffs, Young carded a bogey-free 65. What Young was missing was regular caddie Paul Tesori, who was back home in Florida nursing a back injury that has him considering surgery.

Tesori, who was a good enough player to earn his Tour card before switching to caddying, previously worked for Vijay Singh, Sean O’Hair and spent the past 12 years with Webb Simpson, during which time they won the 2012 U.S. Open and 2018 Players Championship. In late March, they parted ways and Tesori hooked up with Young, 26, the 2022 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, who entered the week ranked No. 17 in the world.

Tesori took X-rays of his arthritic knee and four damaged discs in his back and visited with a surgeon on Thursday to discuss a possible microdiscectomy while Young was shooting a bogey-free round that has him in contention for his first Tour title. Caddie David Cook, who has filled in for Simpson this season, lugged the bag at El Cardonal at Diamante, which caddies are calling one of the toughest walks on Tour.

“The ruptured disc was worse than he thought. There are two levels of the fragment so he’d have to go straight on and also on the side. It’s more difficult than a routine microdiscectomy,” Tesori wrote in a text message to Golfweek. “It is so hard to decide whether to do the surgery or not … My biggest thing I kept saying was, ‘Isn’t the surgery the safest route?’ He said emphatically no. He wants to do another MRI within a month. He believes there’s a 75 percent chance my body will start to heal the disc but no timeframe … He’s encouraged by the pain being reduced. He really doesn’t want to go the surgical route because of the overall health of my back, and now the difficulty of the disc.”

Despite the pain he’s been suffering, Tesori still hopes to be back on the bag when Young makes a start at the RSM Classic, the final FedEx Cup Fall event, which is a 90-minute drive from Tesori’s home.

“My goal is still to work RSM but I’m not sure how currently,” he said.

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