The role of caddies in professional golf has arguably evolved as much as any other aspect of the game at the highest level. The modern looper must carry and clean clubs, measure yardages, help with club selections, read greens as well as filling the role of psychologist and even security guard.
5 WILLIE PETERSON
Peterson was one of the long-time Augusta National caddies who professionals were forced to use at The Masters until 1983.
Having never caddied for the same player twice after making his tournament caddying debut as a 16-year-old, Peterson was given the bag of Jack Nicklaus in 1959.
Despite Nicklaus playing down the importance of his caddies during his career, Peterson must have done something right. The demonstrative bag man guided ‘The Golden Bear’ to five of his six wins around Augusta National. (Pictured above).
4 WILLIAM STOKES
The only caddie to win five Masters titles with four different players, William ‘Pappy’ Stokes was born and raised on the site that would become Augusta National in 1920.
Stokes was the winning caddie at Augusta in 1938 when Henry Picard was victorious, 1948 for Claude Harmon, 1951 and 1953 with Ben Hogan and finally in 1956 for Jack Burke Jnr. Stokes remains the youngest winning caddie in Masters history for his win with Picard.
3 ALFIE FYLES
Tom Watson was one of the many American players to use a local caddie when crossing the pond to play The Open Championship – and his partnership with Royal Birkdale caddie Fyles is one of the most successful in caddie history.
RIGHT: Fyles with Watson. PHOTO: Getty Images.
Fyles carried the American’s bag for all five of his Open wins and is credited with convincing the eight-time major winner to change to a 7-iron from a 6-iron at the final hole during his famous ‘Duel in the Sun’ battle with Jack Nicklaus at Turnberry; the close approach shot securing victory.
2 JIM MACKAY
‘Bones’ was Phil Mickelson’s right-hand man for over 25 years before the duo decided to call it quits in 2017; Phil’s brother Tim taking over caddie duties.
After stints on the bags of Larry Mize, Scott Simpson and Curtis Strange, Mackay and Mickelson partnered up in 1992 and collected all of the left hander’s five major titles together.
Mackay was given his nickname by Fred Couples – who couldn’t remember his name – in 1990 and is a permanent fixture on any top caddie list not only for his longevity and victories, but his ability to get the best out of the often erratic Mickelson.
1 STEVE WILLIAMS
The most successful caddie in history, Williams worked for Ray Floyd and Greg Norman among others before taking over from Mike ‘Fluff’ Cowan as Tiger Woods’ man when Cowan was sacked after disclosing his wage in an interview.
Woods and Williams would go on to claim 13 major titles together, with the Kiwi’s best moment coming at the 2008 US Open. Williams claims he lied about the yardage left to convince Woods to hit lob wedge into the 72nd green rather than sand wedge, setting up the birdie putt that tied Rocco Mediate and sent the tournament to a playoff the following day.
After being sacked by Woods, Williams proved he was capable of major success without Tiger, successfully reading the putt on the final playoff hole that delivered Adam Scott Australia’s first Green Jacket.
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