Welcome to the 12th installment of our 2021 “Caddie Confidential” series, with monthly, inside-the-ropes perspective from dozens of Tour caddies on rotating golf topics. Up this month: we look ahead to 2022 and poll caddies on which players they expect to have a breakout season, which tournament they believe their player has the best chance of winning, which player treats the caddies best and, finally, we ask — if you could loop for any young, non-major-winning (yet) player on Tour, who would it be.
With so much young talent in golf today, it got us to wondering: If you were a PGA Tour caddie and could handpick the young, non-major-winning (yet) player you could caddie for right now, who would it be?
So, that’s precisely what we asked nearly four dozen PGA Tour caddies.
“Obvious picks would be Cantlay, Xander, Finau, etc.,” one said. “An outside the box answer would be Cameron Smith because he is really good and a unique blend of play hard and have fun.”
Another told us: “Sam Burns. Dude is SO good, and will definitely win a major sometime soon.”
If you had the chance to caddie for any non-major-winning (yet) young player on Tour right now, who would it be and why?
Check out this selection of responses from caddies:
Will Zalatoris. Great guy and up and comer!
Sam Burns. The guy has it.
Viktor Hovland. Talent and a great guy.
Mav McNealy. He’s fearless and great.
Viktor Hovland. He’s proven he belongs and is going to win a ton in his career.
Will Zalatoris. He will continue to dominate.
McNealy. He’s loaded and is a great kid.
Wyndham Clark.
Viktor Hovland. He’s an absolute stud.
Scottie Scheffler. Gonna be good for a long time.
Xander Schauffele. Best attitude and strong desire to win.
Will Zalatoris. He’s the real deal and will be a stud for a long time coming.
Cameron Smith. Great unrealized potential.
Will Zalatoris, he is going to be No. 1 in the world and he’s a nice guy.
Keith Mitchell. Because he’s going to win a major.
Viktor Hovland. Seems to be mature beyond his years. Great guy.
Hovland. Class act
Tony Finau. The guy has just got it.
Keith Mitchell — swag and game.
Will Zalatoris because he will win majors.
Interested in more from our December 2021 installment of Caddie Confidential? Be sure to check out which players the caddies expect to have a breakout 2022, the tournament caddies believe their player has the best chance of winning and the players who treat the caddies best.
You can view all the results from our entire Caddie Confidential by clicking here.