Author Archives: F. Edwin Miller

By F. Edwin Miller

With the possibility to collect payoffs upwards of $1.7 million from three-day tournaments, players on the PGA Tour are widely known to rack in the big bucks; yet, ever wondered what type of money their caddies make? This post will review the jobs and earnings of some of professional golf’s leading loopers.

After winning the 2005 WGC-Cadillac tournament at Blue Monster Course in Doral, Florida, Tiger Woods didn’t give ex-caddie, Steve Williams, a tip for his services.

He gave Williams a $140,000 Ford GT for them.

(Drew Hallowell, Getty Images North America)

During his time with Woods in 2007, Williams gained $1.27 million. That sum made him the wealthiest caddie on the PGA Tour by a long shot. In fact, had Williams made the switch from caddie to golfer, he would have cracked the top 75 earnings for players on the tour that year. Though Williams worked his way into a rare scenario (he looped for a 14-time major winner) and the wages of other caddies typically fall into a much different arena, you shouldn’t feel too bad for them. Many, if not all of them, bring home enough to buy themselves their own $100,000 race cars.

In 2007 forbes.com reported that Geoff Oglivy’s long-time caddie, Allistair Matheson, assisted his way to $337,888 from June 2006 to June 2007. In the same time span, Tony Navarro, Adam Scott’s former caddie earned himself $442,548. Jim “Bones” MacKay who has long been an asset to 40-time tour winner, Phil Mickelson, collected $445,821 in 2007 as the third highest paid caddie. However, Vijay Singh’s looper, Chad Reynolds, topped MacKay’s earnings with a total of $508,136 placing second to Stevie Williams on the year.

Though caddies often appear as “bag holders” or “ball finders,” the preparation that goes into their craft cannot always been seen by onlookers.

A caddie’s earnings depend upon their golfer’s performance and the most effective caddies, like those listed above, play a large role in producing a successful outcome for their golfers. A proficient caddie provides insightful help and possesses a keen sense of a course’s difficulties and how to overcome them easily. A skilled caddie can knowledgeably assess greens, weather conditions, driving distance estimates, pin placement, and club choice. On top of all that, caddies must serve as backbones to their golfers, encouraging them to remain confident throughout play.

According to president of the Professional Caddies Association (PCA), Dennis Cone, caddies start with “a base salary of $1,000 a week plus 5% of the tournament purse [that a golfer enters].” Caddies can make 7% of purse profits when their golfer finishes in the top 10, and even earn up to 10% for assistance in a tournament win.

However, these rates do not apply to all caddies. Some earn 10 percent on all winnings by their golfer as opposed to a set annual salary according to golflink.com. Others accept high weekly salaries while taking no cut of a golfer’s purse earnings. In some cases, caddies even receive disability or health benefits for their service.

Yet, just to take Cone’s estimates into consideration, Steve “Pepsi” Hale, caddie for Keegan Bradley, pocketed $140,000 after Bradley’s $1.4 million WGC-Bridgestone win.

Does he prefer cash, check, or GT?

(Andy Lyons, Getty Images North America)

By F. Edwin Miller

With the possibility to collect payoffs upwards of $1.7 million from three-day tournaments, players on the PGA Tour are widely known to rack in the big bucks; yet, ever wondered what type of money their caddies make? This post will review the jobs and earnings of some of professional golf’s leading loopers.

After winning the 2005 WGC-Cadillac tournament at Blue Monster Course in Doral, Florida, Tiger Woods didn’t give ex-caddie, Steve Williams, a tip for his services.

He gave Williams a $140,000 Ford GT for them.

(Drew Hallowell, Getty Images North America)

During his time with Woods in 2007, Williams gained $1.27 million. That sum made him the wealthiest caddie on the PGA Tour by a long shot. In fact, had Williams made the switch from caddie to golfer, he would have cracked the top 75 earnings for players on the tour that year. Though Williams worked his way into a rare scenario (he looped for a 14-time major winner) and the wages of other caddies typically fall into a much different arena, you shouldn’t feel too bad for them. Many, if not all of them, bring home enough to buy themselves their own $100,000 race cars.

In 2007 forbes.com reported that Geoff Oglivy’s long-time caddie, Allistair Matheson, assisted his way to $337,888 from June 2006 to June 2007. In the same time span, Tony Navarro, Adam Scott’s former caddie earned himself $442,548. Jim “Bones” MacKay who has long been an asset to 40-time tour winner, Phil Mickelson, collected $445,821 in 2007 as the third highest paid caddie. However, Vijay Singh’s looper, Chad Reynolds, topped MacKay’s earnings with a total of $508,136 placing second to Stevie Williams on the year.

Though caddies often appear as “bag holders” or “ball finders,” the preparation that goes into their craft cannot always been seen by onlookers.

A caddie’s earnings depend upon their golfer’s performance and the most effective caddies, like those listed above, play a large role in producing a successful outcome for their golfers. A proficient caddie provides insightful help and possesses a keen sense of a course’s difficulties and how to overcome them easily. A skilled caddie can knowledgeably assess greens, weather conditions, driving distance estimates, pin placement, and club choice. On top of all that, caddies must serve as backbones to their golfers, encouraging them to remain confident throughout play.

According to president of the Professional Caddies Association (PCA), Dennis Cone, caddies start with “a base salary of $1,000 a week plus 5% of the tournament purse [that a golfer enters].” Caddies can make 7% of purse profits when their golfer finishes in the top 10, and even earn up to 10% for assistance in a tournament win.

However, these rates do not apply to all caddies. Some earn 10 percent on all winnings by their golfer as opposed to a set annual salary according to golflink.com. Others accept high weekly salaries while taking no cut of a golfer’s purse earnings. In some cases, caddies even receive disability or health benefits for their service.

Yet, just to take Cone’s estimates into consideration, Steve “Pepsi” Hale, caddie for Keegan Bradley, pocketed $140,000 after Bradley’s $1.4 million WGC-Bridgestone win.

Does he prefer cash, check, or GT?

(Andy Lyons, Getty Images North America)

By F. Edwin Miller

Along with the strong winds affecting play at Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course, Tiger Woods’ chances are looking up.

(Andrew Redington, Getty Images North America)

Ocean Course’s four-time winner fended off the wind to end the PGA Championship’s second round on Friday with a (-1) par 71 to tie Vijay Singh and Carl Pettersson for the tournament  lead (-4) heading into Saturday.

“It is a little bit brutal out there because you’re playing so much drift,” Woods told reporters about the weather conditions. “Even if you hook or slice the golf ball, it doesn’t matter, it still drifts it back at the end.”

Despite Kiawah’s persistent winds, Woods expressed even more persistence in his chase for the year’s last major title.

“As far as the last couple majors, I’m right there with a chance. I like that,” Woods said. His finishes in major tournaments have significantly progressed throughout 2012 (T40 in The Masters, T21 in US Open, T3 in Open Championship). His last major win came in 2008’s U.S. Open.

The last 16 majors concluded with 16 different champions (none of them Woods). With continued play like today’s, Woods can indeed extend the streak to 17 and put an end to his four year major drought.

By F. Edwin Miller

Along with the strong winds affecting play at Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course, Tiger Woods’ chances are looking up.

(Andrew Redington, Getty Images North America)

Ocean Course’s four-time winner fended off the wind to end the PGA Championship’s second round on Friday with a (-1) par 71 to tie Vijay Singh and Carl Pettersson for the tournament  lead (-4) heading into Saturday.

“It is a little bit brutal out there because you’re playing so much drift,” Woods told reporters about the weather conditions. “Even if you hook or slice the golf ball, it doesn’t matter, it still drifts it back at the end.”

Despite Kiawah’s persistent winds, Woods expressed even more persistence in his chase for the year’s last major title.

“As far as the last couple majors, I’m right there with a chance. I like that,” Woods said. His finishes in major tournaments have significantly progressed throughout 2012 (T40 in The Masters, T21 in US Open, T3 in Open Championship). His last major win came in 2008’s U.S. Open.

The last 16 majors concluded with 16 different champions (none of them Woods). With continued play like today’s, Woods can indeed extend the streak to 17 and put an end to his four year major drought.

By F. Edwin Miller

On the 72nd hole of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on Sunday, Jim Furyk attempted to will the ball further with his body after a failed bogey shot. His will, and overall play, proved ineffective.

On his way to what seemed like a victory, Furyk teed off on the final hole of the third round at Firestone with a one stroke lead. However, his shot landed in a bunker, followed by another shot that just missed the green, and an even more disheartening failed putt for par. Furyk’s series of misses allowed 2011 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Keegan Bradley, who converted an amazing 15-foot par shot on the final hole, to come from behind and win after Furyk bogeyed on a five-foot shot that would have forced a playoff between the two.

(Gregory Shamus, Getty Images North America)

“I’ve lost some tournaments in some pretty poor fashions, but I don’t think I’ve let one ever slip nearly as bad as this one,” 16-time PGA Tour winner Furyk told reporters after the meltdown on the final hole. “This was my worst effort to finish off an event.” Furyk’s “worst effort” earned him a tie for second at Firestone with Steve Stricker (-12).

The tournament’s winner; however, had something much different to say.

“This just feels so great,” said Bradley after wrapping up his third PGA Tour title with a -13 finish. “I just felt so strong coming down the stretch. I just enjoyed every minute of it.” Perhaps Bradley’s greatest moment of joy emerged just after his par shot fell through on the 18th. He let a greatly enthused full body fist pump rip after the putt fell. His win also cemented him a spot on the 2012 U.S. Ryder Cup team.

(Gregory Shamus, Getty Images North America)

Bradley, along with Furyk, will enter the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island on August 9. Bradley, the 2011 winner of the tournament, will receive most of the attention as he looks to carry his momentum into Kiawah for perhaps yet another “fist-pumping” finish.