If it seems rare for one of the world’s best golfers to switch caddies, that’s because it is.
Scottie Scheffler and Ted Scott have become an incredibly successful duo atop the world rankings. World No. 2 Rory McIlroy has had Harry Diamond on his bag for the better part of a decade. World No. 3 Xander Schauffele has worked with Austin Kaiser for as long as he’s been on Tour. If you’ve seen Jon Rahm, you’ve seen his caddie, Adam Hayes. If you’ve seen Brooks Koepka, you’ve seen his caddie, Ricky Elliott, who’s been on board for all five major wins. It’s not that top professionals never change caddies; it’s just that it’s a significant event when they do.
Enter World No. 4 Collin Morikawa, who will have Joe Greiner on the bag starting at next week’s Truist Championship. The news, first reported by Colt Knost, marks the end of Morikawa’s partnership with J.J. Jakovac, the only caddie he has ever had as a professional.
It’s the third time in recent weeks that Greiner has made significant headlines in the golf world.
First came his split with long-time boss and close friend Max Homa, for whom he’d caddied in the biggest moments of his career.
“I mean, it wasn’t my choice, so it was tough,” Homa said at the Masters. “But he always said we’re friends first, and friendship mattered more than the work side of things, and he was wise enough to do what he did.”
Greiner then picked up a couple of starts for Justin Thomas, whose caddie Matt “Rev” Minister was sidelined with a back injury. The first of those starts was at the Masters, and the second, the RBC Heritage, resulted in Thomas’s first win in nearly three seasons. After the victory, Thomas had to quash speculation that he’d hire Greiner full-time.
“We both knew the situation going in,” Thomas said on SiriusXM/PGA Tour Radio. “It was very much a temporary arrangement. We were incredibly fortunate that Joe was available until Rev recovered. I think the world of Joe, but I’m thrilled to have Rev back.”
As of next week, Greiner will move from the bag of Thomas, currently World No. 5, to Morikawa, currently No. 4. (It’s worth noting that Homa also reached the top five in the world, though he slipped outside the top 10 last summer.)
Morikawa’s decision sends two clear messages.
Firstly, he isn’t satisfied with his current level of performance; while he’s been in contention repeatedly, he hasn’t won a PGA Tour event since autumn 2023 and hasn’t added to his major tally since winning the 2022 Open Championship.
Secondly, it shows how highly he rates Greiner. This isn’t unique; Greiner is a beloved and respected figure on Tour—not to mention a talented golfer in his own right. But the fact that Morikawa is ending a very successful partnership suggests he believes a partnership with Greiner could be exceptional.
Morikawa and Greiner know each other well; Homa and Morikawa are close friends, fellow Cal Bears, frequent practice-round partners, and have played together in team events. They also briefly shared a coach, Mark Blackburn; it’s reasonable to assume Greiner already knows Morikawa’s game inside out.
Homa has been working with veteran caddie Bill Harke, who was on the bag for his encouraging T12 finish at the Masters.
It’s unclear what lies ahead for Jakovac, though having caddied for a couple of major championships certainly bolsters his CV.
Thomas is expected to return to action at next week’s Truist Championship, where we may see Minister back in action. With the year’s second major, the PGA Championship, just two weeks away, every player wants to ensure they’re putting their best foot forward.
And that they have the right person beside them, doing the same.
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