Caddie Picks: How they fared at the 2019 Honda Classic

By T.J. Auclair · March 4, 2019

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This is the tally of top-10 finishers for our caddie picks in the 2018-19 PGA Tour season:

1^st: 7
2^nd: 4
3^rd: 3
4^th: 4
5^th: 4
6^th:
7^th: 3
8^th: 2
9^th: 2
10^th: 2

Here’s a look at how all the caddie picks have made out this season, tournament by tournament (WD = Withdrawal; MC = Missed Cut; DNS = Did Not Start; MDF = Made Cut, Did Not Finish):

2019 Honda Classic:

The Honda Classic might be the early candidate for tournament of the year. Keith Mitchell emerged from a jam-packed leaderboard with an incredible four birdies over his last seven holes — including a 15-footer at the last — to snag his first PGA Tour victory.

You want to talk about pressure? If Mitchell hadn’t made the putt on 18 at PGA National, he would have been heading to a playoff with Rickie Fowler and Brooks Koepka. That putt alone ought to do plenty for Mitchell’s confidence going forward.

So how did our caddie picks fare at the Honda Classic, the first leg of the Florida Swing? All their picks made the cut and three finished in the top 20. But, Fowler was the only pick to finish inside the top 5. The former Honda winner tied for second, just about a month removed from his victory at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

Here’s a look at how all the picks panned out at the Honda…

Caddie 1

1. Justin Thomas, T30
2. Brian Gay, T20
3. Michael Thompson, T16

Caddie 2

1. Michael Thompson, T16
2. Rickie Fowler, T2
3. Daniel Berger, T36

Caddie 3

1. Rickie Fowler, T2
2. Daniel Berger, T36
3. Joaquin Niemann, T59

THIS WEEK: Arnold Palmer Invitational

2019 WGC-Mexico Championship:

The first World Golf Championships event of the new calendar year took place last weekend in Mexico City with the WGC-Mexico Championship.

Dustin Johnson smoked the field, finishing five strokes better than runner-up Rory McIlroy and 10 shots clear of the third-place finishers.

It was a solid week for our caddies, too, who identified the winner for the fourth time in five weeks.

Here’s a closer look at how all their picks fared…

Caddie 1

1. Justin Thomas, 9th
2. Bryson DeChambeau, T56
3. Phil Mickelson, T39

Caddie 2

1. Jon Rahm, T45
2. Gary Woodland, T17
3. Justin Thomas, 9th

Caddie 3

1. Dustin Johnson, Won
2. Justin Thomas, 9th
3. Tiger Woods, T10

2019 Genesis Open:

Our caddies didn’t pick the winner at the 2019 Genesis Open, but it was still one heck of a week for them at famed Riviera Country Club.

Highlighted by Rory McIlroy’s T4, our caddies also tabbed Michael Thompson and Dustin Johnson to have big weeks. They finished T7 and T9, respectively. They also picked Bubba Watson, Patrick Cantlay and Bryson DeChambeau, who all tied for 15th.

Ultimately, it was J.B. Holmes who came out as the champion — his first win since the 2015 Shell Houston Open.

Caddie 1

1. Michael Thompson, T7
2. Bubba Watson, T15
3. Patrick Cantlay, T15

Caddie 2

1. Bubba Watson, T15
2. Rory McIlroy, T4
3. Paul Casey, T25

Caddie 3

1. Dustin Johnson, T9
2. Bryson DeChambeau, T15
3. Scott Stallings, MC

2019 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am:

For the fifth time in his illustrious career, Phil Mickelson is once again a winner in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Mickelson finished off an impressive, final-round, 7-under 65 on Monday to defeat Paul Casey by three strokes. The 48-year-old Mickelson now has 44 career wins on the PGA Tour.

It was also another solid week for our caddie picks. One caddie had Mickelson winning the event, making it the third straight tournament in which a caddie pick has gone on to win.

Two of our caddies also warned that you should look out for Jason Day. The Aussie ended the tournament in a tie for fourth.

Here’s a closer look at the outcome for all the caddie picks at Pebble…

Caddie 1

1. Matt Kuchar, T22
2. Jason Day, T4
3. Dustin Johnson, T45

Caddie 2

1. Tony Finau, T38
2. Tommy Fleetwood, T45
3. Phil Mickelson, Won

Caddie 3

1. Dustin Johnson, T45
2. Jason Day, T4
3. Adam Scott, MDF

2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open:

Due to heavy winds, it wasn’t a pretty final round at TPC Scottsdale in the Waste Management Phoenix Open on Sunday.

Rickie Fowler shot a 3-over 74 and still managed to defeat runner-up Branden Grace by two strokes. Fowler did rally late with birdies on two of his final four holes after what looked to be a devastating two-hole stretch at Nos. 11 and 12, where he gave back four strokes, going triple-bogey, bogey.

So how did our caddie picks fare at TPC Scottsdale? Quite well, actually.

Among the nine picks (seven different players), three finished inside the top 15, including the winning pick with Fowler. Here’s a look at how all the caddie picks fared…

Caddie 1

1. Hideki Matsuyama, T15
2. Rickie Fowler, Won
3. Phil Mickelson, MC

Caddie 2

1. Xander Shauffele, T10
2. Tony Finau, MC
3. Matthew Wolff, T50

Caddie 3

1. Phil Mickelson, MC
2. J.B. Holmes, T26
3. Hideki Matsuyama, T15

2019 Farmers Insurance Open:

Justin Rose — the world’s No. 1 player — proved why he’s worthy of that position on Sunday with an incredible victory at Torrey Pines in the Farmers Insurance Open, where he somehow reached a winning total of 21-under par.

At least one of our caddies saw that coming for Rose, as the Englishman was in fact one of our caddie picks to win.

Our caddies also warned you to keep an eye on Jason Day and Jon Rahm at Torrey and both finished T5.

Here’s a look at how all the caddie picks fared in San Diego…

Caddie 1

1. Keith Mitchell, MC
2. Jason Day, T5
3. Tony Finau, T13

Caddie 2

1. Xander Schauffele, T25
2. Jon Rahm, T5
3. Cameron Champ, MC

Caddie 3

1. Justin Rose, Won
2. Tony Finau, T13
3. Charles Howell III, T20

2019 Desert Classic:

The 60th edition of the Desert Classic at PGA WEST did not disappoint. Phil Mickelson, making his 2019 debut, flirted with 59 early in the week (but settled for a 60), and the leaderboard was tight throughout.

Ultimately, it was little-known Adam Long who pulled through. Long made an incredible birdie on the par-5 18th hole Sunday to win the tournament by a single shot over Mickelson and past Desert Classic champion, Adam Hadwin.

So how did the caddie picks fare in the desert?

They identified four, top-18 finishers, highlighted by defending champion Jon Rahm, who finished alone in sixth-place.

Here’s a look at how all the picks finished…

Caddie 1

1. Justin Rose, T34
2. Abraham Ancer, T18
3. Andrew Putnam, T34

Caddie 2

1. Jon Rahm, 6th
2. Patrick Cantlay, T12
3. Brian Gay, MC

Caddie 3

1. Corey Conners, MC
2. Russell Knox, T18
3. Charles Howell III, T34

2019 Sony Open in Hawaii:

It was tight for a little stretch at Waialae on Sunday in the final round of the Sony Open in Hawaii, but Matt Kuchar pulled away over the last few holes and strolled to a four-stroke victory over Andrew Putnam. The win was Kuchar’s second of the new season to go along with his triumph in Mexico at the Mayakoba Classic in November.

As for the caddie picks… Though they didn’t pick a winner, four of the players they told you to look out for finished inside the top 16, highlighted by top-10 finishers Charles Howell III (T8) and Bryson DeChambeau (T10).

Here’s a look at how all their picks fared…

Caddie 1

1. Patton Kizzire, T13
2. Bryson DeChambeau, T10
3. Justin Thomas, T16

Caddie 2

1. Troy Merritt, MC
2. Justin Thomas, T16
3. Gary Woodland, MDF

Caddie 3

1. Kevin Kisner, T69
2. Charles Howell III, T8
3. Andrew Landry, MC

2019 Sentry Tournament of Champions:

It was a short field at the winners-only Sentry Tournament of Champions last week at Kapalua Resort’s Plantation Course in Maui. Just 34 players were scheduled to tee it up, but a Kevin Na withdrawal reduced the size to 33.

Xander Schauffele fired an incredible 11-under 62 in the final round to overcome a five-shot deficit to begin the day and win for the fourth time in his PGA Tour career.

Here’s a look at how our caddie picks fared in paradise for the first event of calendar year 2019…

Caddie 1

1. Dustin Johnson, T4
2. Matt Kuchar, T19
3. Gary Woodland, 2

Caddie 2

1. Dustin Johnson, T4
2. Brooks Koepka, 24
3. Justin Thomas, 3

2018 Hero World Challenge:

Spain’s Jon Rahm continued his impressive play in 2018, capping off the calendar year with a victory at the Hero World Challenge on Sunday.

Though none of our caddies picked Rahm to win this past weekend, they did identify three top-8 finishers. Two caddies selected Tony Finau, the runner up. They also picked Justin Rose (third) and Xander Schauffele (T8).

Here’s a look at how all the caddie picks fared in The Bahamas…

Caddie 1

1. Tony Finau, 2
2. Hideki Matsuyama, 18

Caddie 2

1. Bryson DeChambeau, T12
2. Tony Finau, 2

Caddie 3

1. Justin Rose, 3
2. Xander Shauffele, T8

2018 RSM Classic:

Patrick Rodgers set a PGA Tour record for scoring in his final two rounds of the RSM Classic, firing 61-62. That, however, wasn’t enough to beat Charles Howell III. Howell claimed his first Tour victory since 2007, downing Rodgers on the second hole of a playoff.

It was a sensational week for our caddies, who not only successfully identified Howell as the tournament winner, but also had third-place finisher Webb Simpson, as well as Kevin Kisner and Zach Johnson who both tied for seventh.

Here’s a look at how all the caddie picks fared in Sea Island…

Caddie 1

1. JT Poston, MC
2. Chris Kirk, T46
3. CT Pan, MC

Caddie 2

1. Kevin Kisner, T7
2. Charles Howell III, Won
3. Kramer Hickok, MC

Caddie 3

1. Webb Simpson, 3
2. Robert Streb, T32
3. Zach Johnson, T7

2018 Mayakoba Golf Classic:

Matt Kuchar snapped an 89-start winless drought on Sunday, as he was victorious in the Mayakoba Golf Classic. He did so with a local caddie, no less.

As for our caddie picks at Mayakoba? It wasn’t a great week, but they did have two, top-16 finishers in Emiliano Grillo (15th) and Rickie Fowler (T16).

Here’s a look at how all the caddie picks fared in Mexico…

Caddie 1

1. Brian Gay, T41
2. Gary Woodland, T41
3. Jordan Speith, MC

Caddie 2

1. Emiliano Grillo, 15th
2. Gary Woodland, T41
3. Keith Mitchell, T65

Caddie 3

1. Rickie Fowler, T16
2. Jordan Spieth, MC
3. Chez Reavie, T26

2018 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open:

It might be a new season, but one thing remains the same: Bryson DeChambeau is on fire.

For the fifth time overall and the fourth time in as many months, DeChambeau won on the PGA Tour. His latest — the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas — came on Sunday at TPC Summerlin, where he edged Patrick Cantlay by one stroke, thanks largely to an eagle on the par-5 16th hole.

It was a stellar week for our caddies, too, as they identified three top-10 finishers, highlighted by DeChambeau. They also had Rickie Fowler (T4) and Gary Woodland (T10).

Here’s a closer look at how all the caddie picks fared in Vegas…

Caddie 1

1. Troy Merritt, T57
2. Sam Burns, MC
3. Cameron Champ, T28

Caddie 2

1. Tony Finau, T36
2. Gary Woodland, T10
3. Bryson DeChambeau, Winner

Caddie 3

1. Scott Stallings, T69
2. Tony Finau, T36
3. Rickie Fowler, T4

2018 Sanderson Farms Championship:

In Jackson, Mississippi at the Sanderson Farms Championship, heralded rookie Cameron Champ — just 23 years old — won his first PGA Tour event by an impressive four strokes.

Our caddies identified five, top-25 finishers, including Champ. It was the first victory of the season for our caddie picks.

Bill Haas was the next-best caddie pick finisher with his T14. Here’s a look at how all the caddie picks fared…

Caddie 1

1. Tom Lovelady, 25th
2. Sungjae Im, MC
3. Scott Stallings, T39

Caddie 2

1. Bill Haas, T14
2. Ryan Blaum, T20
3. Seamus Power, 19th

Caddie 3

1. Ryan Armour, T54
2. Aaron Baddeley, MC
3. Cameron Champ, Winner

2018 CJ Cup at Nine Bridges:

Brooks Koepka, the PGA Tour’s 2017-18 Player of the Year, looks to be picking up right where he left off. Koepka won the CJ Cup at Nine Bridges on Sunday in South Korea. It was his fifth career PGA Tour victory and propelled him to No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

As for how our caddie picks fared, Gary Woodland was the lone bright spot, as he finished runner-up to Koepka. The only other top-20 finisher among last week’s caddie picks, was Marc Leishman — winner of the CIMB Classic. He tied for 18th.

Here’s a look at how all our caddies’ picks fared in Korea:

Caddie 1

1. Justin Thomas, T36
2. Marc Leishman, T18
3. Kyle Stanley, 66

Caddie 2

1. Marc Leishman, T18
2. Justin Thomas, T36
3. Brandt Snedeker, T36

Caddie 3

1. Marc Leishman, T18
2. Gary Woodland, 2nd
3. Justin Thomas, T36

2018 CIMB Classic:

Australia’s Marc Leishman won for the fourth time in his PGA Tour career on Sunday at the CIMB Classic. Leishman ran away from the field at TPC Kuala Lumpur with a dazzling, final-round 65 and a five-stroke victory over Emiliano Grillo, Chesson Hadley and Bronson Burgoon.

Our caddies had a solid week with their picks. Justin Thomas and Gary Woodland tied for fifth, while Austin Cook tied for 13th.

Here’s a look at how all our caddies’ picks fared in Malaysia:

Caddie 1

1. Justin Thomas, T5
2. Xander Shauffele, 25th
3. Gary Woodland, T5

Caddie 2

1. Xander Shauffele, 25th
2. Austin Cook, T13
3. Justin Thomas, T5

2018 Safeway Open:

The first event of the 2018-19 PGA Tour season is in the books and a first-time PGA Tour winner was crowned.

Kevin Tway, son of PGA Champion Bob Tway, captured the Safeway Open, outlasting Brandt Snedeker and Ryan Moore in a playoff. With his victory, Tway made it so that he and his father are the 10th father-son duo in history to have victories on the PGA Tour.

As for our caddie picks, let’s just say they were a little rusty in the first start of the season! The top finisher among all the picks was Cameron Champ, who tied for 25th.

Here’s a look at how all our caddies’ picks fared at Silverado:

Caddie 1

1. Chez Reavie, T33
2. Brendan Steele, T53
3. Andrew Putnam, DNP

Caddie 2

1. Cameron Champ, T25
2. Beau Hossler, MC
3. Ollie Schniederjans, MC

Caddie 3

1. Brendan Steele, T53
2. Chez Reavie, T33
3. Kelly Kraft, MC