Joe LaCava to Caddie for Patrick Cantlay – What’s Tiger’s Reaction?

Joe LaCava, who has been Tiger Woods’ caddie for the past few years and carried his bag for the 2019 Masters victory, will fill in the vacant position as Patrick Cantlay’s sidekick this week for the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Golf Course near Charlotte, North Carolina.

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It begs the question: Will there be implications for LaCava based on Woods’ split with Steve Williams years ago?

Cantlay and caddie Matt ‘Rev’ Minister split after the Zurich, where he and teammate/best friend Xander Schauffele took T4 at -26, finishing four back of champions Nick Hardy and Davis Riley just two weekends ago.

Dan Rapaport saw LaCava on the bag for Cantlay on the practice green at the Wells Fargo as players are arriving in Charlotte and preparing for the elevated event.

Patrick Cantlay has Joe LaCava on the bag for this week’s Wells Fargo.

Cantlay and his longtime caddie Matt ‘Rev’ Minister split up after the Zurich Classic. LaCava has worked for Cantlay in the past in a sub-in role. pic.twitter.com/kI4hqfA7OG

— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) May 2, 2023

Interestingly, Woods and former caddie Steve Williams had split after Williams agreed to carry Adam Scott’s bag in 2011.

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”I want to express my deepest gratitude to Stevie for all his help, but I think it’s time for a change,” Woods said in a statement that year. “Stevie is an outstanding caddie and a friend and has been instrumental in many of my accomplishments. I wish him great success in the future.”

Scott had needed a caddie and reached out to Williams and had received Woods’ blessing, the story goes.

“Adam heard Tiger Woods pulled out and wondered where I was,” Williams said in an interview years ago. “I phoned Tiger about it and he said, ‘No problem.’ After some thought, though, he didn’t agree with it. Tiger changed his mind. Well, I’d already told Adam I would be there.”

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“I had no idea I was going to get fired over it. I was told after U.S. Open that I no longer had a job, and it’s as simple as that,” he continued.

However, there likely will not be the same repercussions for LaCava, who has worked for Cantlay in the past, including at the August 2021 Northern Trust.

“I ran it by Tiger first,” LaCava said then. It appears he likely got the O.K. from the Big Cat once again.