Chris Rice wins 2021 Caddie Competition in Memory of Bruce Edwards at Players Championship

By T.J. Auclair · March 11, 2021

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One of the great traditions at the Players Championship each year is the Caddie Competition in Memory of Bruce Edwards that takes place the Wednesday of tournament week.

While players are working through their final practice round ahead of the tournament’s start on Thursday, their caddies take center stage on the famous par-3 17th at TPC Sawgrass for their own shot at glory… or at least bragging rights.

RELATED: All the holes in one on the par-3 17th at TPC Sawgrass in Players Championship history

Chris Rice, caddie for Harold Varner III, was the big winner this year with an incredible tee shot from 137 yards that settled just 1 foot, 2 inches from the hole.

He might not caddie this week now. lol https://t.co/4ekAJXti7b

— Harold Varner III (@HV3_Golf) March 10, 2021

Lucky for us, Kenny Harms — caddie for Kevin Na — was there to capture it on video:

 

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A post shared by Kenny Harms (@kharms27)

What a shot!

Here’s what the top 5 looked like:

1. Chris Rice (Harold Varner III): 1 foot, 2 inches
2. Yuan Liu (Xinjun Zhang): 7 feet, 3 inches
3. J.J. Jakovac (Collin Morikawa): 11 feet, 1 inch
4. Brett Waldman (KH Lee): 12 feet, 11 inches
5. Todd Gjesvold (Russell Henley): 13 feet, 8 inches

Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard notes that, “since the event was first played in 2000 to honor the late Bruce Edwards, the longtime caddie for Tom Watson who passed away in 2004 from ALS, Rice’s tee shot was the closest ever on the island green.”

With the win, Rice won the pot players donated to, as well as VIP parking for the week. The amount the winning caddie gets from that pot is then matched bu the PGA Tour and donated to the Bruce Edwards Foundation.

A bunch of videos (or photos with commentary) of their respective crack on No. 17 were posted to social media. Here’s a sampling:

 

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A post shared by Ben Hulka (@bhulk44)

 

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A post shared by Damian lopez (@caddie_wagen)

 

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A post shared by Kevin Kisner (@kevin_kisner)

 

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A post shared by Aaron Flener (@aflener)

Switched roles but still crunching numbers. @B_DeChambeau's caddie Tim Tucker takes part in @THEPLAYERSChamp caddie competition. pic.twitter.com/XqIWebBFms

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 10, 2021

 

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A post shared by stonerapproved (@stonerapproved)

 

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A post shared by Kyle Peters (@kyle_pepperz)

 

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A post shared by Brett Waldman (@bm_waldman)