Joe LaCava details what it’s like to caddy for Tiger Woods - “I was getting texts at 2 or 3 in the morning”
Joe LaCava said that Tiger Woods is quite low-maintenance when it comes to caddying for him. He added that the ace golfer is continuously thinking about his game and he used to receive a couple of messages every day about the game and its approach.
LaCava is currently in the bag for Patrick Cantlay. Before Cantlay, he had an 11-year stint with Woods. The duo witnessed quite a success, but more than that, they formed a close bond, which is still intact.
In a recent interview, the veteran caddie shared details about his relationship with the golfer. He was quoted as saying, via Golf.com:
"What I found so fascinating about Tiger was how low maintenance he is. He doesn’t need a lot, but he likes a lot of information. He likes to decipher that information. He likes to think about it. He’s 24-7 thinking about golf, the swing, etc. I was getting texts at 2 or 3 in the morning about a certain hole having a different wind the next day.
"Maybe it’s a 3-wood instead of a driver. I’m also not a very good sleeper, so I would occasionally text back and say, 'I agree with you, but I’d rather you turn the phone off, go to sleep and get some rest.'
He also said that the 15-time major champion stood out for taking ownership of whatever happened on the golf course.
"He’s not looking for anyone or anything to blame," LaCava further stated. "I worked probably 110 tournaments with him, and never once did he come back and say 'Bad read' or 'The wind wasn't there' or 'Bad club.' He takes ownership of everything he does, which is incredible to me."
How many players has Joe LaCava caddied?
Joe LaCava has had a successful career as a caddie for over 40 years now. Last year, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Born in 1962 in Newtown, Connecticut, LaCava started caddying in the 1980s. His first successful stint was with Fred Couples, as the pair won 12 titles, including the 1992 Masters and 1996 Players Championship. Then he caddied for Davis Love III and Justin Leonard, followed by Dustin Johnson. With Johnson, he won five titles in four years before winning 12 titles with Tiger Woods. He was part of Woods' 15th major win at the 2019 Masters and his 82nd PGA Tour win at the Zozo Championship. Overall, he has won 31 titles as a caddie on the PGA Tour and four on the PGA Tour Champions.
The 62-year-old caddie parted ways with Woods last year and is currently with Patrick Cantlay. The duo is currently at Pebble Beach in California for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, where Cantlay shot 8-under 64 to finish the first day in solo second place.