Then he adds, Back in the day it was just the majors. He is from Portrush in Northern Ireland. As for the flag and pole from 1992, it is proudly on display in his bedroom. Its fast-paced. He obviously realises he's one of the better players out here now and getting through at Erin Hills sort of stamped that on him and his place in the game now is in stone. Elliot probably wouldnt have imagined that teaming up with an American golfer would have put him on the opposite side of the course as his European brothers at some point, but thats exactly what happened in 2016. Getty Images. A win there by Koepka, Elliott promises, would usher in the mother of all celebrations. Cuban /Allsport), Graeme McDowell celebrates victory on the 18th green with his caddy Ken Comboy during the final round of the 2013 Alstom Open de France at Le Golf National in Paris. Picture: Richard Sellers/PA Wire Koepka's record in majors this season is written in. "I've played there a lot growing up but Brooks hits the ball differently than the lines I hit it on," said Elliott, who is good friends with another Portrush native, former US Open champion Graeme McDowell. Both are lying around in a closet. According to Golfweek, caddies make between $1,800 to $2,000 in weekly salary during tournaments. His best guess on how the flags took off? (Steve Schaefer/AFP via Getty Images), Tiger Woods talks with caddie Steve Williams during a practice round prior to the 2009 World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship. Elliot on the other hand, is a grizzled Irishman, who has seen his fair share of golf courses. Staff Writer. From all four corners of the globe, caddies know the routine. Next up, I asked Joe LaCava, who started his career on the bag of his cousin, Ken Green, and went on to win a Masters in 1992 with Fred Couples and bagged a second yellow Masters flag in 2019 with Tiger Woods. I think thats what makes a great caddie. He and his fellow caddies had their own tradition: If your boss won, you bought dinner. 845898). In December, that meant a maiden ski trip to Colorado. As I continued toask around, one name kept surfacing: Bruce Edwards, the long-time caddie for eight-time major winner Tom Watson, who succumbedto ALS at age 49 in 2004. Were pitching it where we said we were going to pitch it all week., He pulls the 4-iron, sticks the tee in the ground and hits the best shot Ive ever seen to about six feet. Kerr, who brags that he has caddied for 35 years on Tour, at over 125 majors, for 14 major winners, including nine Hall of Famers and six former World No. Every week on virtually every tour, the winning caddie grabs the flag on 18. He was averaging about four rounds per year since he began looping for four-time major winner Brooks Koepka in 2013. It was worrying. At that point the raucous New York crowds were chanting their support for Johnson but Koepka soon regained control as his challenger faltered with bogeys on 16 and 17. Ricky Elliott always hoped he could be in the Ryder Cup, the dream of any aspiring golfer from Portrush in Northern Ireland. Elliott figures he played more golf in the month of April than he did in the past seven years. Thus, the 10 realities down beneath might help you all sort out who he truly is. Four successive bogeys early in his back nine on Sunday suddenly saw Koepka's seemingly impregnable lead trimmed to a single stroke by countryman and friend Dustin Johnson. Powered by. Shortly before he died, Mickelsons grandfather famously told him no more regular flags he wanted a major. Ricky Elliott (brought into the world in the year 1978 or 1979) is generally known as the caddie of the acclaimed American golf player, Brooks Koepka. He then worked at National Club Golfer and Lady Golfer where he was the deputy editor and he has interviewed many of the leading names in the game, both male and female, ghosted columns for the likes of Robert Rock, Charley Hull and Dame Laura Davies, as well as playing the vast majority of our Top 100 GB&I courses. I dont think its really hit him yet or me what hes accomplished this year after such a dire start, he said. Brooks Koepka and caddie Ricky Elliott. With Elliots help, Fitzpatrick ended up finishing tied for 52nd. Regardless, he is a hitched man with youngsters. Pete Bender, caddie for Aaron Baddeley, looks on during the final round of the 2019 Valero Texas Open. His age is 42 years old. Stevie says, Wait a minute, mate, and got his wrench so Freddie could unscrew the flag.. Ricky Elliott, longtime caddie for Brooks Koepka, is one step ahead of him. Obviously his Major record is unbelievable and his other record isnt, but he aint messing around at regular events. Hes had the same manager, coaches, and same caddie for the last six years. Now the understated and underrated caddie for Brooks Koepka, Elliott has enjoyed a front-row seat for some major championship history over the past three years, helping his man to four quick titles. "It will be special for Ricky. "The first practice we played I just thought, 'This guy is the real deal, he is hitting the ball unbelievably'. Holt didnt win a tournament between 1993 and 2003. What transpired between Hawaii and Colorado was, of course, a career season for Koepka: a successful U.S. Open defense, victory at the PGA Championship and ascending to World No. And on Thursday he was witness to a round of four-under 68. By most accounts, the average weekly base pay for caddies on the PGA Tour runs in the neighborhood of $1,800-$2,000 per week. As he sees off a banner year that began in despair, Elliott confessed that his mind has already wandered to next years British Open, which will be played at Royal Portrush, the course where Elliott grew up (and posted a couple of 64s in his youth). Its really smart and simple.. Hes been tremendous. He was great; it felt like we were at home playing a game on the same team, Schauffele said. His usual caddie Mick Donaghy recently bought a home is Leicester and opted out of the weeks action, which meant he got the chance to bring in a buddy for the job. Veteran hands with fresh faces serve as a reminder that on Tour, nothing is permanent. 1s. The former junior and amateur standout player from Portrush, Northern Ireland won four titles in his younger days before getting into caddying these past 15 years. Get loose, @BKoepka!#FriendshipGoals pic.twitter.com/o1054O8Llo. But not every caddie is enamored with keeping the flag at 18. Brooks Koepka and caddie Ricky Elliott are back at the Waste Management Phoenix Open this week to defend the title they won in 2021. Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports Here's a look at the player/caddie pairs for this week's Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Arizona: Ancer, Abraham Benji Thompson His original caddie, Lorne Duncan, was unable to participate in the prestigious tournament because his choice of footwear (sandals that he wore for medical reasons) were not allowed. Bernhard Langer with caddie Terry Holt on the 4th tee box during the first round of the 2015 Masters. Dethier is a graduate of Williams College, where he majored in English, and hes the author of 18 in America, which details the year he spent as an 18-year-old living from his car and playing a round of golf in every state. Ricky Elliott holds the caddie trophy for the 2017 U.S. Open. It's been all right. We always try to keep stuff as basic as possible and try not to complicate things. January hadnt been as much fun for Elliott, the longtime caddie for Brooks Koepka. "He's just one of the best players and to be honest he goes out there and thinks that.". Just a few holes into the year in Hawaii, a wrist injury benched his man for three months. native joined GOLF in 2017 after two years scuffling on the mini-tours. It was on the 16th tee at Bellerive in the final round of the PGA Championship. Related: US PGA Championship 2020 preview. His assessed net worth starting at 2020 is as yet under survey. He loves links golf with a particular love of Royal Dornoch and Kingsbarns. Its just nice to be able to have the opportunity to do that. Mackay was Phil Mickelsons caddie for 25 years before their split. That makes his ethnicity Irish. Other than Ricky, I probably know his game better than anybody, Chase said. Would love your thoughts, please comment. All rights reserved. CARMEL, Ind. And those are just the fill-ins. He always wants to know the yardage and where the wind is. I get all the numbers and do all the book work. Elliott told his man to hit a 5-iron. Going beyond that, Golfweek explained that most caddies cover their own travel expenses, as they typically arent factored into pay. Number: 1394141; H Bauer Publishing, Company Number: LP003328 Even those caddies that do admit to cherishing them say that they often wind up in a tube, unframed, stuffed in a closet or in the case of Gareth Lord, who worked for Henrik Stenson during his British Open triumph in 2016, in a drawer in a one-bedroom apartment in Monaco. I'm sure he's going to have his family, his mom and dad will be out there. It was Allan Robertson in 1850. Scott carried for Watson for 15 years. Unlike most European caddies, he hasnt hitched his wagon to a European golfer. The looper was playing very little of his own golf by choice. On April 16, 2000, Edwards' estranged first wife, Susan, angry at the couple's pending divorce, lit the 1982 U.S. Open flag on fire. After attending the University of Toledo on a golf scholarship, Elliott tried to make it as a professional before accepting an assistant professional's post at Lake Nona in Orlando. Elliot and Koepka are one of golfs odd couples. Following Koepkas second US Open victory, in an interview he gave to ESPN, he said of Koepka: He's just a real strong mental guy, he's unflappable. Ricky Elliott (born in the year 1978 or 1979) is mostly known as the caddie of the famous American golfer, Brooks Koepka. What about the Masters flag from 1997 with Tiger Woods? According to the police, other collectibles hanging on walls in other parts of the house were found damaged or smashed, including an autographed flag from the 18th green at Augusta National, which Watson had signed after winning the 1981 Masters. https://golfweek.usatoday.com/lists/18th-hole-flag-becoming-caddie-trophy/, Mexico, Caribbean, Atlantic islands, Central America, Top 50 Classic Courses in Great Britain & Ireland, Top 50 Modern Courses in Great Britain & Ireland, PGA Tour approves radical schedule changes, reducing fields in elevated events and ending cuts, Drivers used by PGA Tour pros ranked in the top 10 in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, Best irons for 2023 for every handicap and playing style. And I love the guy to death.". Mike Hicks, who has a signed and personalized flag from winning the 1999 U.S. Open with Payne Stewart, also proved to be little help. His most cherished flag, which some believe started this craze, was used to set his home ablaze. Specifically, his dominance in majors since 2017 is. Thats where Watson had a delicate chip in the final round from the rough left of the hourglass-shaped green. After freelancing for Golf Monthly and The PGA for 18 . Schauffele made bogey at No. He knows if Im getting a little bit tense, maybe upset, angry, whatever it is, he can tell just by my walk. Beyond that, PGA.com pointed out that Koepka won an additional $1.98 million for his victory at the 2018 PGA Championship, adding roughly another $198,000 to Elliotts bonuses for the year. When Phil wins the Masters, he gets the green jacket, the trophy, the big check, all the glory. Despite their familiarity, Greiner said there were still a few things that he learned from going behind-the-scenes of Schauffeles process. Oh, and he can work that kink out of your neck if you need him to as well. Ive got most of mine.. (J.D. Koepka ended up finishing tied for 50th in the tournament, but hey, it could have been worse. Brooks Koepka is visiting Northern Ireland for the first time, but his bag will be carried by Ricky Elliott, a Portrush native, who brings an intimate local knowledge granted to few players this week. Dylan Dethier is a senior writer for GOLF Magazine/GOLF.com. It will be special for me. Asked for a picture of them, he apologizes and says he recently renovated his bar area and had not put them back up on the walls. The Williamstown, Mass. Start the Golf Season off right with InsideGOLF ($100 value - just $20). He can tell, just body language. Obviously Rick kind of knows what Im doing before I even do it, but Chase is a hell of a player anyway, he said. I knew that they had done it, obviously. (Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports). He has been Koepka's caddie for 6 years now. Northern Irishman Ricky Elliott has been Brooks Koepka's bagman during all four of his Major wins. The Open 2019: With each passing major, Brooks Koepka looking more like Tiger Woods, The Open 2019: 5 things to know about Brooks Koepkas caddie Ricky Elliott, The PGA Tour has created a hierarchy. Heres how it works. He had attended college in Ohio and for the past few years had been living in Florida. Read about our approach to external linking. I wouldnt want anybody else on my bag, I know that. As longtime caddie Steve Hulka put it, Stevie couldve madea helluva quilt out of them. In an email correspondence, Williams claimed 151 worldwide wins and 120 victory flags in his collection. His mustache didnt move as he racked his brain for an answer and agreed with Bender that its a more recent phenomenon. He said, Go down there and grab the cup out of the green and that will be your souvenir. So, I did, and I use that cup in my house all the time to practice my putting. No one is going to take that away, he says. He just eyeballs it a lot. Elliott, in a recent interview with the Irish Times, called Koepka "one of my best friends.' Koepka said, with Elliott's local knowledge, he's simply letting him call the shots on the course. The starting point seemed obvious. https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2018/12/13/19th-hole-behind-brooks-caddie-ricky-elliott-reveals-secrets-to-koepkas-success/, Mexico, Caribbean, Atlantic islands, Central America, Top 50 Classic Courses in Great Britain & Ireland, Top 50 Modern Courses in Great Britain & Ireland, New Rules of Golf: 15 things you need to know for 2019, Major mentality: Brooks Koepka sits atop golf world with chip on shoulder, The Forecaddie: Expect Rory McIlroy to remain fixture on European Tour, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Brooks Koepka's long-serving caddie Ricky Elliott details the working relationship he has with the four-time major champion.Subscribe to Golfing World for mo. All of the bonus money is believed to be added on top of the standard salary he makes as well. Maybe we play too aggressive in those. I felt more sorry for him than I did for myself.. How much do you think that signed flag by Watson would go for today at auction? Oxman wonders. You can follow him on Twitter @JohnstonGarrett. Then they were like, Do you want the pole? I said theres no way I can take it home with me. He takes a huge responsibility in what he's doing out there. I wouldnt bother., Payne Stewart picks up his caddie Mike Hicks after sinking his putt on the 18th green at Pinehurst No. The US Open paid out $2.16m and the US PGA $1.98m so, on a rough basis of 10 per cent, Elliott probably collected north of $400,000 from those two weeks alone. As of Saturday night, with the third round of the 2017 US Open coming to an end, American Brooks Koepka sits tied for second. Ricky Elliott, longtime caddie for Brooks Koepka, is one step ahead of him. Elliott grew up in Portrush, Northern Ireland. It just didnt really interest me to go out there and just play to a low standard. ago. Ironically it was Greiner, the experienced caddie of the group, the who made the biggest rookie mistake of them all. Brooks Koepka and caddie Ricky Elliott on the third green during the second round of the 2017 U.S. Open (Getty). After Edwards, Nick DePaul, who caddied for Seve Ballesteros from 1982 to 87, claimed flags from the 1983 Masters and 1984 British Open. The 42-year-old eventually moved into caddying and worked for the likes of 2003 Open champion Ben Curtis before the job opportunity which would change his life at the 2013 US PGA. He got so many flags. Those titles include the Irish Under 18 Boys Amateur Open, Ulster Under 18 Boys Amateur Open, Leinster Under 21 Amateur Open Championship and the Ulster Under 21 Open Championship. Northern Irishman Elliott, from Portrush, started caddying for Koepka at the 2013 US PGA Championship and the pair have worked together ever since, during which time Koepka has won four major titles and 25million US dollars in prize money on the PGA Tour and become world number one. It just came down to missing a few clutch putts. In smaller events he does get a little bit flustered, but in majors hes unbelievably focused. He's got a pool room in Northern Ireland and has hung his major flags in the four corners of the room. When looking back at the 2018 season for Koepka, it was an impressive run which featured victories at both the U.S. Open and PGA Championship. Koepka himself felt the chants helped him refocus and there will be no chance of a repeat scenario at Portrush, where Elliott's connections will ensure both men have plenty of support. I gave all my flags away. That its a more recent phenomenon then he adds, Back in the tournament, hey... 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