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Tiger Woods is arguably the best golfer in the history of the game – but who is his caddie?
Woods has had a few caddies down the years, but the man on his bag before his latest injury setback was Joe LaCava.
LaCava was caddying for Woods since 2011, and was at his side during his remarkable comeback win at the 2019 Masters.
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Hailing from Connecticut, he previously spent two decades with Woods’ good friend Fred Couples, and four years on the bag of Dustin Johnson.
The pair eventually parted ways after the Masters in May 2023, when LaCava moved onto Patrick Cantlay’s bag full-time with Woods’ blessing due to the 15-time major champion’s limited schedule.
And now, on his third comeback from serious injury, Rob McNamara has taken on caddie duties for Woods.
Woods announced ahead of his comeback at Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas in 2023 that McNamara would be on his bag for the 20-field event in Albany.
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McNamara is a close friend and business associate of Woods. He is the vice-president of Woods’ TGR Ventures company and is also an accomplished player himself, having played many rounds with Tiger when the duo were juniors in southern California.
“I’ve got Rob this week, he’s seen me hit a few shots,” Woods said at the Hero World Challenge. “As far as next year, I don’t know yet.”
Many thought McNamara may continue on the bag for the 2024 season, but Woods appointed veteran looper Lance Bennett to carry his bag for his first start of the year at the Genesis Invitational.
Bennett is a longtime caddie on the PGA Tour having worked with Matt Kuchar, Sungjae Im and Davis Riley. He was working for Belgian Adrien Dumont de Chassart at the time he took on Woods’ bag.
Despite not being announced as a permanent fixture going forward, Woods opted to have Bennett on the bag at the 2024 Masters, too.
“I’ve had a great relationship with him over the years going back to when he caddied for Kuch and when we played at the Presidents Cup together back in, what, Muirfield Village,” Woods said when asked about Bennett at Riviera.
Bennett made his debut on Woods’ bag at Riviera in February and looks likely to retain it throughout his plan to play at least once a month this year.
It’s unclear whether the pair will reunite in 2025, however, as Woods is due another period on the sidelines after surgery.
Woods confirmed in September that he underwent microdecompression surgery of the lumbar spine for nerve impingement in the lower back.
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