Major stars’ bagmen bringing no baggage

PHIL MICKELSON, Rory

McIlroy and Jason Day, boasting a combined 10

Majors between them, all bid for glory this week with caddies facing into their first Masters.

Mickelson has younger brother Tim on the bag having parted company with Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay after 25 years and, of course, McIlroy replaced JP Fitzgerald with best friend Harry Diamond last year.

Day has Rika Batibashea (above) carrying having taken his teacher Colin Swatton off the bag.

The consensus seems to be that all three golfers have, largely, taken complete control of their own yardage books in preparation for a tournament where understanding of the marble-fast greens is considered essential for any title charge. A gamble?

“At Augusta, you can’t beat experience,” reckons veteran caddie Paul Tesori. “I still don’t have it dialled in and this will be my 17th! So I think experience there is the most important thing you can have.”

Maybe so, but some of the world’s best-known caddies won’t be seen at this year’s Masters. Steve Williams, who has caddied for four Masters victors, is missing as is Mike ‘Fluff’ Cowan, who was on Tiger Woods’ bag in 1997. Cowan has been with Jim Furyk since ’99 and this would have been his 35th Masters had the American qualified.

Mackay, who was on Mickelson’s bag for 24 visits to Augusta National, has been working for Golf Channel and NBC Sports as an on-course reporter since July.