Caddies play a crucial role in golf victories, as seen in recent wins by Matt Fitzpatrick and Jon Rahm. Their strategic input, particularly in challenging conditions, significantly contributes to players' successes.
Mentioned in this story
Matt Fitzpatrick's caddie, Daniel Parratt, provided crucial advice on club selection and wind conditions, enabling Fitzpatrick to make a winning shot on the 18th hole.
Jon Rahm finished strong in the LIV Golf Mexico City event, closing with a 64 to secure the first-place individual championship.
Caddies provide strategic insights, help with club selection, and offer emotional support, which are vital for a golfer's performance and success.
Caddies are essential in professional golf as they assist players with course management and strategy, often influencing the outcome of tournaments.
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Matt Fitzpatrick, of England, right, celebrates with caddie Daniel Parratt after winning the RBC Heritage golf tournament Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Hilton Head, S.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Matt Fitzpatrick, of England, right, celebrates with caddie Daniel Parratt after winning the RBC Heritage golf tournament Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Hilton Head, S.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Matt Fitzpatrick, of England, right, hugs his caddie Daniel Parratt after winning the RBC Heritage golf tournament Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Hilton Head, S.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
First-place individual champion captain Jon Rahm, right, of Legion XIII, and caddie, Adam Hayes, left, pose with the trophy after the final round of LIV Golf Mexico City at Club de Golf Chapultepec, Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Naucalpan, Mexico. (Charles Laberge/LIV Golf via AP)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
FILE - Pat Perez celebrates after the 4 Aces GC won the LIV Golf Team Championship at Trump National Doral Golf Club, Oct. 30, 2022, in Doral, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
FILE - Australia's Karrie Webb tees off on the 14th hole during the Australian Open golf championship at Kingston Heath golf course in Melbourne, Australia, Dec. 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (AP) — With so much emphasis on money and the trickle-down effect, sometimes the greatest reward for a caddie is the public credit given by their players. Matt Fitzpatrick won a thriller at the RBC Heritage in a playoff against Scottie Scheffler. On the 18th hole, from 204 yards into a stiff wind, Fitzpatrick hit 4-iron at the flag (OK, he says he slightly pulled it) that cleared the bunker and rolled out to 13 feet for the winning birdie. The 18th hole Sunday was the first time all week he hit 4-iron, and only the second time he had the club in his bag (he didn't use it on Thursday). That it was there for him was due to his caddie, Daniel Parratt, because the wind was in the opposite direction from the previous three rounds. “Great planning from Dan,” Fitzpatrick said. "Just so aware of what’s going on with the wind even before we tee off and stuff. But I knew after the one in regulation (from a waste area), I had basically hit it as well as I could, and then in the fairway it was the same story. “I knew I could just hit it. Fortunately, I hit a great shot.” Jon Rahm had been in a mood during his pedestrian performance in the Masters (tie for 38th), and during the early days of LIV Golf Mexico City he had no interest in sharing what part of his game had cost him. But after closing with a 64 for a six-shot victory, he mentioned a session at Augusta National the previous week with caddie Adam Hayes. “Adam and I nearly got in a heated argument on Saturday on the putting green at Augusta when he was trying to explain something and I wasn’t fully understanding,” Rahm said. "Once it clicked what he was trying to say and what I needed to work on on that range session Saturday afternoon, it was so much better. “Sunday at Augusta I played much better golf, and it’s only gotten a little bit easier since then.”
Pat Perez had a remarkable return to competition last week in the Senior PGA Championship. He was at par or better all four days at Concession Golf Club, and while he finished 11 shots behind Stewart Cink, he still tied for sixth. It was his first time playing 72 holes of competition in nearly two years. Perez tied for 18th in the International Series Morocco the first week of July 2024. Even more impressive? Since he left LIV Golf at the end of 2024, Perez said he went nine months without so much as touching a golf club. He spent 2025 doing television for LIV and didn’t bring his clubs with him or use them when he was home in Arizona. “I said: ‘You know what? I got nothing to play for,’” Perez said. “I have nothing to get ready for because again, I did not think that this opportunity would come. I thought, ‘I’m just going to take a knee for a minute and see what happens.’” He is suspended by the PGA Tour until 2027, so he can play the Senior PGA, U.S. Senior Open and Senior British Open, all run by other organizations. But Perez, who turned 50 on March 1, plans to get after it next year. “I probably won’t miss an event next year,” he said. “From what I hear, this tour you want to hit it hard from 50 to 55. Since I’m missing 50, I’ll probably hit it hard the first three years and then kind of see where we’re at.” Perez made nearly $14 million in prize money in his three years on LIV.
Karrie Webb has kept an eye on Australian golf after her Hall of Fame career of seven majors and becoming the only woman to win the “Super Grand Slam” of five majors. Her scholarship program for the last decade has brought juniors over to America for Webb to mentor, a list that includes now major champions Hannah Green, Minjee Lee and Grace Kim. Webb also is recognizing coaches. Jade Shellback is the third winner of the Karrie Webb Coaching Scholarship, established in 2024 to provide support to female PGA professionals trying to advance their teaching credentials. “It’s an honor to be selected, and I’m incredibly grateful. I can’t thank Karrie enough for the support,” said Shellback, who coaches at Royal Melbourne. “It means a lot be recognized and gives me real confidence that I’m on the right path.”
Talor Gooch already has a Professional Bull Riding team known as the “Oklahoma Wildcatters.” Now he’s captain of a LIV Golf League team connected to the Sooner State, rebranded Tuesday as OKGC. The new name replaces Smash GC, which had Brooks Koepka as the captain until the five-time major champion returned to the PGA Tour this year. The rebrand establishes Oklahoma as the team home market. LIV already has rebranded Stinger to Southern Guard for the South Africans, and Iron Heads was changed to Korean GC. This is the first time a LIV franchise is aligned with a U.S. market. “This is incredibly meaningful to me,” Gooch said. “Oklahoma is where I grew up and where I learned how to compete. To now represent this state through OKGC and bring that identity with us around the world is something I’m really proud of.” The other team members are Jason Kokrak of Ohio, Harold Varner III of North Carolina and Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland.
Auburn junior Jackson Koivun is a semifinalist for the third straight year and the front-runner for the Ben Hogan Award, given to the top college golfer based on all college, amateur and professional tournaments over the last 12 months. Koivun, who won the Hogan Award in 2024, has five wins dating to the NCAA regionals last spring, and he ran off three straight top 10s on the PGA Tour. The other semifinalists are Mahanth Chirravuri (Pepperdine), Ryder Cowan (Oklahoma), British Amateur champion Ethan Fang (Oklahoma State), Filip Jakubcik (Arizona), Ben James (Virginia), Christiaan Maas (Texas), Preston Stout (Oklahoma State), Harry Takis (San Diego State) and Tyler Weaver (Florida State). Three finalists will be announced May 12, and the winner will be revealed May 25 at a black-tie dinner in Fort Worth, Texas.
Peter Uihlein, Lucas Herbert, Josele Ballester and Luis Masaveu are among LIV Golf players in the Singapore Open this week. Along with being part of the International Series on the Asian Tour, the leading two players earn an exemption to the British Open. ... The BMW Australian PGA is moving to The Lakes in Sydney this year for the first time since 1987. ... The 2027 Ryder Cup will feature a match between Europe and the United States for the world's best golfers with a disability (G4D) as part of the centennial celebration. The mixed matches will be Sept. 13-15 at Ballyneety Golf Club in Limerick, about 25 miles from Adare Manor.
Scottie Scheffler earned more for his runner-up finishes at the Masters and the RBC Heritage than for his only win so far this year at The American Express.
“Americans are incredibly patriotic, and I think that was amazing. I guess the only issue is they just have shorter memories because we won in October.” — Matt Fitzpatrick on the Harbour Town fans chanting “U-S-A” during his playoff victory over Scottie Scheffler at the RBC Heritage. \\\_ AP golf: