Golf icon Tiger Woods will have the same caddie at consecutive events for the first time in over a year after he confirmed he will be playing at The Masters this week
Tiger Woods has made a crucial decision to maintain his caddie for The Masters despite dropping to 950th in the world rankings.
The 48-year-old legend, who has not swung a competitive club since the Genesis Open in February, is expected to make a triumphant return at Augusta. After surviving a near-fatal vehicle accident in 2021 that left him with severe leg damage, Woods has only competed in eight competitions.
However, he is preparing for a historic comeback, aiming for his 16th major win and sixth green jacket when the Masters begins on Thursday. And he’s sticking with Lance Bennett, the seasoned bagman he hired at Riviera for the Genesis Open, according to Golf Monthly (via the Mirror).
This is the first time Tiger has played back-to-back events with the same caddie since he and Joe LaCava parted ways after the 2023 Masters. Woods, speaking to reporters about his decision to team up with Bennett earlier this year, said: “As far as Lance is concerned, I’ve had a great relationship with him over the years going back to when he caddied for Kuch [Matt Kuchar] and when we played at the Presidents Cup together back in, what, Muirfield Village.
“In all the years we’ve spent together on Ryder Cups and Presidents Cups, as well as the times I’ve had the opportunity to play in the same groups. Very down to earth, very loyal, and I’ve taken note of how he communicated over the years.
“We have had comparable feelings about the golf course and how we interpret putts; they are extremely similar. I believe we will be a terrific team and look forward to the task.”
At the 2023 Masters, the 15-time major winner made the cut, tying the record for consecutive major cuts. This will be his 26th appearance in the tournament, but some close to him, such as his buddy and former Stanford collegiate teammate Notah Begay III, are concerned about his physical condition.
“He’s trying to devise a plan and technique that will allow him to work within the limits that have been imposed on him. “And he has some constraints,” Begay told USA Today. “He has no movement in his left ankle and is experiencing lower-back issues that he was expecting.
“For the past few months, he has been looking for a method to heal. He can play golf. We knew the question would be, ‘Can he walk the 72 [holes]?’
“That is still up in the air.” But can he recover between rounds? That’s the biggest issue I have, and he won’t know until he gets out there and sees if the way he prepared for this year’s Masters will work for him.”
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