Tiger Woods' longtime caddie, Joe LaCava, to work with Patrick Cantlay, per reports
Tiger Woods' longtime caddie, Joe LaCava, will be working full-time with fellow PGA Tour player Patrick Cantlay, according to the Golf Channel's Todd Lewis.
LaCava was on the bag for Cantlay for the 2023 Wells Fargo Championship on Tuesday and Lewis reported he will be with the eight-time winner "for the foreseeable future." LaCava "got the blessing from friend and former boss" Woods as he recovers from ankle surgery.
"Joe called Tiger to ask him and get his approval," Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, told ESPN. "Of course, Tiger gave it. Tiger and Joe are like brothers, tremendous friends. You shouldn't read anything more in to that other than Joe wants to caddie. He loves it. It's his passion. He's great at it and one of the best."
Last month, LaCava caddied for Steve Stricker at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in a one-off job.
LaCava has worked with Woods since 2011 when Woods parted ways with Steve Williams. LaCava previously assisted Fred Couples for 20 years and had a four-year stint with Dustin Johnson. LaCava was with Woods as he won the 2019 Masters and was on the bag this spring when Woods attempted to play at the major. Woods retired during the third round of the 2023 Masters due to pain after he hurt his leg in a life-threatening car crash in 2021.
“He’s pretty banged up,” LaCava told Golf Digest. “If it wasn’t Augusta he probably wouldn’t be playing … He still has the power, the swing speed, the shots and the length to contend. The injury is devastating, but if he could take a cart he could contend tomorrow.”
Woods, who made his PGA Tour return at the Genesis Invitational in February, had surgery in mid-April to fuse his ankle. There is no timetable for his return.