Tiger Woods has a new caddie on the bag this week at the 2023 Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, but the looper is a familiar name to Woods and for many of Woods' long-term fans.
Rob McNamara is Woods' caddie this week at Albany Golf Club, as Woods doesn't have a full-time caddie after long-time looper Joe LaCava went to work with Patrick Cantlay -- with Woods' blessing and encouragement -- in May at the Wells Fargo Championship. LaCava worked for Woods dating back to 2011.
Woods has said he intends to play in 2024 as often as every other month, which really doesn't necessitate a full-time caddie, but that decision could be forthcoming.
In the meanwhile, McNamara will carry the bag this week. McNamara is a long-time friend of Woods and is one of his business partners through Woods' TGR Ventures.
There's been some hope that Woods' son, Charlie, would return the favor to his dad for caddying for him in a variety of junior events in recent years. However, Woods squashed any such rumor. After all, Woods' son does have school.
“I don't think Charlie's going to be able to caddie,” said Woods. "[He] can't play hooky that often.”
Woods decided to play, in large part, because he was able to walk the course and recover well -- while also doing strength training -- while caddying for Charlie. Woods had a subtalar fusion procedure in his right ankle in April after he withdrew from the Masters in the third round because of pain in the ankle. Woods suffered a broken talus bone in a February 2021 car crash near Los Angeles.
Woods will eventually look for a full-time replacement, but that's another decision to come down the road.
“I don't know. Honestly, I really don't know,” Woods said Tuesday in the Bahamas. “I was just looking forward to this week and seeing how things turned out. I'm curious to see what 72 holes looks like on the body and my game and then try and set a schedule going forward into next year."
