Everyday golfers don’t often have the benefit of a caddie who has your best interests at heart. A wild hair or an outsized level of confidence can turn even the best rounds into clunkers thanks to a bad decision.
Thankfully for China’s Ashun Wu, his looper, James Nelson, was there to talk him out of making a big number on the par-4 18th hole at Gary Player Country Club in the second round of the NedBank Challenge.
At the time, Wu was at 3-under par and six shots back of Sergio Garcia. After pushing his drive well right, Wu believed he had a shot at reaching the green despite tree trouble immediately ahead of him and a nearly 200-yard carry over water. Nelson disagreed… adamantly.
The player-caddie conversation — which culminated with Nelson telling Wu, “stop being crazy” — was caught on camera, and it’s tremendous.
?The best caddie-player chat you’ll hear for a long time…#NGC2018 #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/zlkiO05TE8
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) November 9, 2018
Wu, to his credit, caved to his caddie’s pleas and played back towards the fairway, eventually running through the short grass slightly.
And the end result was….
Caddie 1, Player 0. pic.twitter.com/NEtNn1tbNo
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) November 9, 2018
From there, Wu made a bogey five, a score that definitely kept him in the tournament, hovering around the top-10 heading into the weekend.
The next time you’re facing a difficult shot that could result in disaster, channel your inner James Nelson and “stop being crazy;” take your medicine and live to fight another day.
