The Silent Partner: Caddying Is about More Than Bags and Clubs. the Intimate - and Lucrative - Relationship between a Pro Golfer and His Caddie

Noonan, David, Newsweek

After his win last week at the Canon Greater Hartford Open, his second victory of the year and the 19th of his career, Phil Mickelson, the No. 2 golfer in the world, told a national television audience what PGA Tour insiders have known for years--he's got one of the best caddies in the game. "Bones and I really mesh well on the course," Mickelson said of Jim (Bones) Mackay, who's been with him since he started on the tour in 1992. "He's one of those guys that, under the gun, when it's a critical time, he thinks his clearest."

It was a well-deserved tip of the hat to the most unsung and unique characters in big-time sports, a rare public acknowledgment of the crucial role played by caddies in professional golf. When Allen Iverson has the ball, he doesn't stop and ask an assistant whether he should pass or shoot. When Barry Bonds is at the plate, he doesn't step out of the batter's box between pitches and consult with the batting coach. But when a pro golfer plays a round of tournament golf, his caddie is at his side every step of the way, …

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Publication information: Article title: The Silent Partner: Caddying Is about More Than Bags and Clubs. the Intimate - and Lucrative - Relationship between a Pro Golfer and His Caddie. Contributors: Noonan, David - Author. Magazine title: Newsweek. Publication date: July 16, 2001. Page number: 34. © 2009 Newsweek, Inc. All rights reserved. Any reuse, distribution or alteration without express written permission of Newsweek is prohibited. For permission: www.newsweek.com. COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group.

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