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USA Today
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Best caddie stories from the Masters include pranks, gaffes and more
Best caddie stories from the Masters include pranks, gaffes and more This is part of the Golfweek Masters Survey 2025 series AUGUSTA, Ga. — Caddies are supposed to show up, keep up and shut up. But they contribute way more than that to their bosses. At Augusta National Golf Club, a caddie is essentially the only other person inside the ropes with the players. It's a big responsibility, but over the years we've seen the likes of Ted Scott, Jim "Bones" Mackay and Steve Williams be part of the story of some of the great Masters. Along the way, caddies are part of the story of the Masters and these are some of pros' favorite stories involving their caddies. Adam Scott My buddy caddied for me in the Par 3 Contest and while he was changing into the overalls and stuff we loaded the front pocket of the golf bag with like 200 range balls and my buddy carried that heavy bag around for the entire nine holes without figuring it out. Billy Horschel Scotty Vail. He had a certain amount of cash in his jumpsuit from one day and let's just say it was a considerable amount. It just wasn't like a couple dollars. It was more than a couple hundred dollars. And he goes into the caddie area the next day and he doesn't have it. He lost it. He forgot to take it out of the caddie bib. My caddie Micah had just put his jumpsuit on and he's hearing Scottie talk about it and he happened to reach into one of the pockets and there was Scotty's wad of cash. Micah goes, 'Is this your money here?' There was his wad of cash. That was pretty funny. Corey Conners I remember my first time, my caddie tried to skip it at 16 and didn't get much water. He hit a laser over the green. Gary Player When I arrived in 1978, my caddie Eddie McCoy said, 'Gary, you got to win, man, I need a roof on my house.' I said, 'Eddie, consider it done.' And when I hit my second shot on 17 to 6 inches from the hole, you should have seen the look on his face. Still makes me smile to this day. Jack Nicklaus Probably how I got Willie Peterson. You know that one, right? It was 1960, and the caddiemaster was asking who wanted to caddie for me. Pond, who caddied for me in 1959, said, 'I don't want Mr. Jack.' He went on to say, 'Mr. Jack works too hard.' So, then he asked, 'Does anybody here want to take him?' And Willie says, 'I'll take him!' Willie took me and went on to win five Masters Tournaments with me. Willie was a character. He was a good man, and he became a good friend. When I found out in 2020 that Willie's grave site in Augusta didn't have a headstone – which sadly was the case for many Augusta caddies through the years – we made sure to right that wrong. Gary Woodland I took my dad with me before the first time I played there and we both showed up in shorts. That doesn't fly there. We were both in the pro shop buying pants. Scottie Scheffler Last year, we were on 13, I hit it in the rough through the fairway and it was one of those areas where you could maybe go for it, maybe not. I had a 2- or 3-shot lead at the time and I asked Teddy, Are we going for this? And he's like we're sticking with what we're good at. And I was like, OK. I think Teddy said something along the lines of if it was somebody else, he would consider laying up, but he said you're the best long-iron player in the world, so just hit the shot at the green. At that point in the final round, I had a lead, so you don't want to play defensively and we don't want to change how we approach the round. That was a moment there on the back nine where we could have changed the way we usually played and maybe tried to limp in, but I remember asking Teddy to see where his thoughts were, and that's when he said 'You're a great iron player, hit the ball on the green.' I remember hitting a good shot to the middle of the green, nice two-putt, and making another key birdie there on the next hole. Stewart Cink A caddie who will remain nameless was holding the flag on the 12th green. He pulled a camera – this was before there were iPhones – and took a picture looking back at 13th fairway. I couldn't believe he would do that. Tony Finau In 2019, I played with Tiger in the final round and at 16, he hits it to 2 feet. He hadn't called in Joey LaCava all day. I don't know if he was nervous or whatever, but he ended up asking Joey what does the putt do? Joey's like, 'You're Tiger F'ing Woods. Put it in the hole and let's go.' Webb Simpson We had a rain delay at the 2020 November Masters and so we ate during the couple hour break. We got back out to the 10th hole early before they blew the horn. I'm standing there and I have food in my teeth so I got the floss out of the golf bag and started flossing right there on the green. When Paul saw this, he wanted to floss as well. So we're both standing there flossing and I looked at him and asked if he thought anyone in the history of playing the Masters had flossed on the 10th green let alone the player and caddie together!
USA Today
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Have Masters players ever taken something from Augusta that maybe they shouldn't have?
Have Masters players ever taken something from Augusta that maybe they shouldn't have? This is part of the Golfweek Masters Survey 2025 series The Masters logo is one of the greatest logos in golf and it has made just about anything with it a collector's item. But that also makes it an easy target for a five-finger discount. Brandt Snedeker admits that he stole a white Masters bathrobe, which he hung in his closet, from the Crow's Nest when he played as an amateur in 2004. "Everybody who goes to Augusta steals a bathrobe," Snedeker said in 2006. But that's nothing compared to Phil Mickelson, who stole a sign from the club's driving range. What will Phil do next? Here are some of the answers from Masters participants on whether they ever stole an item from Augusta National Golf Club. Gary Woodland Never. Too scared. Harris English I haven't even thought about it. They've got cameras everywhere. Jack Nicklaus I took a picture. As in, I took a photo of something. They had these waste-paper baskets in the rooms that we really liked. We wanted something like it at Muirfield Village. So, we took a photo of them. Also, we liked the hooks under the corners of the tables at Augusta National to hang a hat (Barbara interjects and says, 'It's a purse-holder.' Ok, hooks as a purse-holder or for caps.') So, we took photos of those, and we put them in at Muirfield Village and The Bear's Club. Xander Schauffele I wouldn't call it stealing but I did ask can I take home a shoehorn? The locker room attendant said absolutely, don't worry about it. He winked at me and I took that as a green light. Justin Thomas I mean I have some gin decks from the cabins when I've stayed there. Keegan Bradley I don't think I have. I know that's a horrible answer, but I am so scared when I'm there that I don't do any of that. Kevin Kisner I'm not much of a stealer. Maybe something out of a room when you stay like a toothbrush or something. Matt Kuchar No. I took a towel from the Crow's Nest but that was tradition. You don't mess with tradition. Rickie Fowler I've definitely taken matches, but wouldn't consider that stealing, since they have them out. No, I've never stolen anything. Stewart Cink They put out lump crab in the locker room and one time I brought my two boys in there and we scooped it out and took it with us but I don't think we were stealing. Tony Finau No, nothing at all. Wyndham Clark Gin rummy score sheet. Webb Simpson I definitely have matches from Augusta National, but I don't think they were stolen!
USA Today
07-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Best shot at Augusta? Masters players tell us their favorites
Best shot at Augusta? Masters players tell us their favorites This is part of the Golfweek Masters Survey 2025 series AUGUSTA, Ga. — The best shot pros ever hit at the Masters? It was a Golfweek Masters Survey question that made faces light up as they racked their brains for the one shot out of thousands hit — in some cases — at famed Augusta National Golf Club. But to a man, this was a question that players didn't mind reminiscing about one bit. Some recalled a fortunate break or a clutch shot or just one that somehow found the bottom of the cup. Others just loved remembering the purity of a shot well hit on hallowed ground. But regardless of the response, it came with a fat smile that said everything about what the shot meant. Here are the answers to the latest Masters Survey question. Adam Scott The 6-iron into the 10th in the playoff against Angel Cabrera. Just a beautiful shot. Brian Harman I was in contention one year, late on Friday, and I hit a 7-iron on 17 and made birdie and was only one back going into the weekend. Collin Morikawa The bunker shot I holed at 18 in 2023 (final round). Corey Conners Hole-in-one on the sixth hole in 2021. It was 8-iron to a front, left pin. Laser right at it. Gary Player This might be considered lucky, but I was buried in the back bunker on Hole 12 under the lip with water on the other side. It was so far under I almost declared unplayable. I decided to hit way behind so it would come back in the bunker. I couldn't see the ball under the lip, so I took a hard swing and it went in the hole. I could try that 1000 more times and never hole it. But that was 80% luck. But really, the best shot was my putt in 1978 on 18 from 22 feet above the hole to come back in 30-64 to win. Gary Woodland In 2011, I hit it to a foot on my second shot at 13 to a back-right pin, made eagle and went off and birdied 14, 15, 16, and 18. Harris English I've got some crystal. I chipped in on eight for eagle, so that's kind of the one that sticks out. Jason Day In the final round in 2013, I hit a 4-iron in the rain at 15 to 25 feet just below the hole to get the lead. It was bucketing down and I rifled it so straight. Justin Thomas I hit a ridiculous chip shot at 4, a low, nasty skidding spinner up to the top and it ran to the hole. That was pretty sick. Keegan Bradley I hit one in the rain last year on 13, fresh out of the rain delay and it was freezing cold, and it was that pin that's sort of middle left, and I hit this wedge in there, and it was pouring rain and blowing and I hit it to like 6 feet. I'll remember that shot the rest of my life. Kevin Kisner I made a pitch to the front pin at nine on Friday one year. I was trending the wrong way quickly. I made it to chill out and the back nine wasn't as brutal with the wind blowing trying to make the cut. Ludvig Aberg I hit a 4-iron at 13 in the last round. It was the point of the tournament where I needed to do something. It may not have been the flashiest of shots but it was ball above my feet, wind off the left to a back-right pin and I hit it to maybe 15 feet. Matt Kuchar The 3-wood into 15 to a couple feet for eagle to tie for the lead (in 2012). Rickie Fowler I hit an 8-iron at 18 to set up birdie and shoot 67 and at least put some pressure on Patrick Reed. (Reed held on to win by a stroke.) Russell Henley Fifth hole, 2017, I flew it in the hole for a two from 186 out. Stewart Cink Hole-in-one at 16 (in 2022). I hit the perfect shot for the funnel. It landed right on the spot. Tony Finau Second shot on 17 in 2018, my first Masters. I hit it on the pine straw right and had about 180 yards and had to hit a huge slice. I curved it about 60 yards with a 5-iron to a middle-right pin. It landed on the very far left of the green and shot sideways to 3 feet. I was nervous on the putt so I know it wasn't a gimme but I brushed it in. Webb Simpson 7-iron, holed it for eagle on 7 on a Sunday. Wyndham Clark I hit a 6-iron into the wind to a back-left pin at 11. Xander Schauffele I've pulled off some good ones. (That's his full answer!) Zach Johnson Probably 16 when I won, because at that point I knew where I stood. Prior to that I did not. Coming off 15 green, I just missed a 12-footer for birdie and birdied 13 and 14. I hadn't looked at the boards since three; I probably should know what's going on. My caddie Damon goes, "We got a couple," and I'm like, "We got a couple of what? What does that mean?" He says, "We're up by two." So I get to 16, you know where the Sunday pin is and it was perfect. It was in between clubs, but it was like a perfect punch six. I didn't swing very hard, stock draw and land it right of the hole and 8-10 feet out. I did exactly that. Executing when you know you have to execute would probably be the shot that stands out.
USA Today
05-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Given one final trip around Augusta National, who would the pros pick in foursome?
Given one final trip around Augusta National, who would the pros pick in foursome? This is part of the Golfweek Masters Survey 2025 series Given one final trip around Augusta National Golf Club to be played with the foursome of their choice, who would the pros pick? That's the latest question we posed in the annual Golfweek Masters Survey and while family members were the leading vote-getters, names such as Jack, Tiger, Hogan and Snead got their share of votes. With the 2025 Masters right around the corner, some of of the fun answers were the random ones, such Brian Harman going with Georgia pal Kevin Kisner and Russell Henley with Masters champ Larry Mize. Adam Hadwin My brother and dad and make it a threesome. Adam Scott Tiger, Jack and my dad. Billy Horschel My dad, my son's five years old, but I mean, let's just say he's old enough and then my wife. I'll do my family. Brian Harman Kevin Kisner, Rick Pennell and Justin Converse, a buddy of mine. Collin Morikawa My dad, my brother and my wife. Corey Conners My dad, Tiger and Mike Weir, who was my idol as a kid. Gary Player Donald Trump, Mahatma Ghandi, Nelson Mandela and Lee Quo U of Singapore. Jason Day This is always fluid. I'd go with Tiger, Hogan and my boy (Dash) because he just got into golf. Justin Thomas I'll go with my dad and grandpa. That's all I need. Ludvig Aberg My dad, my coach, Hans Larsson, and my caddie, Joe Skovron. Keegan Bradley My friend John Curran, my dad, and Phil Mickelson. Kevin Kisner My dad, and two people who have never been. Matt Fitzpatrick My dad, my brother, my wife and my mom. Matt Kuchar Four generations of Kuchars: son, father, grandfather and me. Nick Faldo I would have loved to have played with Sam Snead and Ben Hogan and let's throw in Jack. Russell Henley Larry Mize, my brother Adam, and my father-in-law Doug. Stewart Cink Both of my kids and my dad. Tony Finau My son, my dad and my brother. Webb Simpson My son, James, my childhood instructor, Ted Kiegiel, and my former caddie, Paul Tesori. Xander Schauffele My dad is the first name that comes to mind. His rule is he won't play there until I'm a member. He refuses otherwise. My dad would be the most important one in there. Zach Johnson Ben Hogan, my dad and I guess I'd play twice and take one of my boys first and then take the other one the next time.
USA Today
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Best place to eat at Masters? Players say locker room, caddie hut. Hooter's got a mention
Best place to eat at Masters? Players say locker room, caddie hut. Hooter's got a mention This is part of the Golfweek Masters Survey 2025 series 'Nobody goes out anymore; it's too crowded' is a classic Yogi Berra line but it could also be used to describe the thinking of Masters competitors looking for a place to eat at around Augusta National. One of the findings of conducting the annual Golfweek Masters Survey is that the majority of competitors hire their own chef to cater meals so they don't have to fight traffic or wait for a table after a long day at the course. It used to be you could go to T-Bonz and see Fred Couples in one corner and Ernie Els in another. While John Daly still sets up shop at the local Hooters on Washington Road, it's becoming more of a rarity to see players out at Augusta's many fine dining establishments. That was the question for this survey: Where's your favorite place to eat in Augusta? Here are some of the answers of those who still like to frequent some of the local fare. Adam Hadwin My wife and I go to the Bonefish Grill quite a bit. We don't see too many of those anymore. Adam Scott It's hard not to say the Champions Locker Room. I do like the Grill Room. It has a nice view of the course, which you don't get in the Champions Room. Akshay Bhatia We ate at Carrabba's (Italian Grille) every night. Gary Woodland The locker room. The burger is delicious and I love the soup. Just the history in there and sitting there and looking out is pretty special. I'd like to eat in the Champions Locker Room. That's the next goal. Jason Day The caddie hut. I never go eat in the locker room. I always hang out and eat in the caddie hut. Justin Thomas My rental house. We get a chef. Keegan Bradley The clubhouse. I got to eat dinner there once with a couple members and it was spectacular. Kevin Kisner Beck's. Matt Fitzpatrick The players lounge. Russell Henley Frog Hollow. That place is good. Webb Simpson Locker room looking out to No. 1. Wyndham Clark I didn't eat many places but I did eat at the famous Hooters. Xander Schauffele I've been fortunate to have my brother come cook for me. I enjoy his home-cooked meals. Zach Johnson I typically have somebody cook for us just because it makes the week so much easier. But sometimes you go early and on those occasions, I love Abel Brown's, an oyster, steak joint with a pretty good bourbon menu and it's right there in that French Market area.
