The question always seemed to be “when” not “if” Jim “Bones” Mackay would caddie again, and this week we got our answer.
Mackay, the world-class caddie who helped Phil Mickelson to his Hall of Fame career, has been working as an on-the-course analyst for NBC’s golf coverage since splitting with Mickelson, but starting next week at the Sony Open at Waialae, Bones will take up Justin Thomas’ bag for an interim stint.
Jim “Bones” Mackay back on the bag of a world class player. Bones will caddy next week at @SonyOpenHawaii for @JustinThomas34 whose regular caddy, Jimmy Johnson is out with Plantar Fasciitis. Bones said “I think the world of Justin and I’m looking forward to working with him.”
— Todd Lewis (@ToddLewisGC) January 7, 2018
Rex Hoggard of GolfChannel.com had more.
Justin Thomas finished his week at the Sentry Tournament of Champions tied for 22nd and headed to the Sony Open, where he’s the defending champion and will work with his third caddie this year.
Thomas’ normal caddie, Jimmy Johnson, worked the first two rounds at Kapalua, but a severe case of plantar fasciitis in his right foot forced him to step down.
Johnson was replaced by Thomas’ father, Mike, on the weekend, and longtime-looper-turned-television-analyst Jim “Bones” Mackay will moonlight for him next week at Waialae.
“I’m very excited, it will be fun,” Thomas said. “Obviously I wish I had Jimmy, I wish he was healthy, but Bones is obviously a very good alternative.”
Mackay caddied for Phil Mickelson until the duo split last year after 25 seasons together, but Lefty never played the Sony Open. In fact, it’s been more than two decades since Mackay caddied at Waialae.
“It’s funny. I was with Jordan [Spieth] yesterday and we were with [Mackay] when I guess Jordan asked him, ‘When’s the last time you caddied there?’ and he said it was ’92,” Thomas laughed. “That was before either of us were born, so I would say the course has changed a little bit since then, but it’s such an easy course to learn. It’s all right in front of you.”
Johnson is expected to miss about a month while he recovers and Thomas said he’s still looking for someone to take his place until then.
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