With wife on bag, 2015 U.S. Junior champ Philip Barbaree returns to U.S. Open

NBC Sports

5 hours ago

The key to Philip Barbaree qualifying for the U.S. Open? He married his caddie.
Well, let's be clear. The 26-year-old Barbaree first met Chloe Lettau in late 2023. Barbaree, a former standout at LSU and USGA champion, was going on three years having not yet made a world-ranked cut. But then he earned status for last year's Canada swing on PGA Tour Americas, and two events in, with Chloe already in Alberta to watch, Barbaree asked her if she wanted to carry the bag.
'I guess,' responded Chloe, who works in medical sales and had no prior golf experience prior to dating Barbaree.
That was good enough for Barbaree, who found a stand bag, made it as light as possible and packed some extra snacks. Then he went out and not only made his first cut but tied for 23rd.
'And this has been our thing ever since,' said Barbaree, who married Chloe on March 1.
They celebrated their engagement anniversary in May in Peru with a 33-hole day at about 9,400 feet of elevation.
It's been a decade since Barbaree defeated Andrew Orishack in the final of the 2015 U.S. Junior Amateur, where he stormed back from 5 down with eight holes to play at Colleton River to win in 37 holes. 'It one sense it feels like forever ago, and in another it feels like yesterday,' Barbaree says. He enrolled a semester early at LSU in Spring 2017, was teammates with Sam Burns and turned pro a semester early, halfway through his fifth year, in November 2020. In between, he posted the fourth lowest scoring average in Tigers' history along with eight top-5 finishes. After his sophomore season, he qualified for the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, where he shot 82-79 and beat just two players, Michael Block and Scott Gregory.
'I do feel like my game and my mind are leaps and bounds better than they were in 2018,' Barbaree said.
Much of that strength came through failure. Barbaree saw just nine starts – and no weekends – on major tours in his first three years as a pro, as he cut his teeth mostly on the mini-tours. He'd be lying if he said he didn't think about changing careers during that first year.
In fact, after moving back home to Shreveport following a brief stint in Dallas, Barbaree took a part-time job working for his dad, Phil Sr., who owns Superior Grill, a Mexican restaurant chain that also has locations in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. He lasted just a couple shifts.
'I started at the bottom,' Barbaree recalled. 'Bussing tables, setting tables, having to take in outside furniture. I got sick, I cut my finger, and after a couple long nights I said, I'm not cut out for this. I gotta get back out playing.'
Barbaree has always been a prolific putter, and last year he made some improvements with his ball-striking after he started working with Chad Darby, who teaches out of the David Toms Academy in Shreveport. He's done a little bit of offseason speed training with long-driver Jack Smith as well. Barbaree's mental strides can mostly be attributed to Chloe, who now splits her time caddying for her husband and selling CPAP machines.
'Her not being a golfer has probably helped,' Barbaree said. 'She picks up different things than people who are. If I'm being indecisive, she'll realize it and tell me. Somebody who might play golf might try to rationalize it. She'll go, 'Well, it just seemed like you were in between clubs a lot and thinking about it more than usual.' … I feel like we always figure out little things to do better every week.
'And I definitely feel like I enjoy playing golf as much as I ever have.'
Barbaree, who is ranked No. 1,000 in the world on the dot, is coming off his best finish on PGA Tour Americas, a T-3 showing in Bogota, Colombia, at the Inter Rapidisimo Golf Championship, which was shortened to 36 holes because of weather. His U.S. Open final qualifier last Monday in West Palm Beach, Florida, was also affected by storms. He was 1 over after 10 holes before rallying to card a first-round, 3-under 69 at Emerald Dunes. Then he birdied four of his first five holes of the second round before play was suspended for the day. He returned to fire a closing 64 and share medalist honors at 11 under.
Now, the question is, will Chloe have to carry a tour bag around Oakmont?
'Absolutely not,' Barbaree said with a laugh.
He knows the U.S. Open is as much a test of endurance, both physically and mentally, as it is an examination of all 14 clubs. Seven years ago, he wore himself out playing practice rounds and arrived on the first tee that Thursday gassed.
He also understands how crucial it is to keep Chloe on the bag.
Said Barbaree: 'We're not breaking up the team any time soon.'