Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay to caddie full-time for Justin Thomas
By T.J. Auclair · September 30, 2021
Massive caddie news was announced on Thursday.
After spending the last four years as an on-course for NBC Sports and Golf Channel, Phil Mickelson’s former longtime caddie Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay is putting the microphone down — for the most part — in favor of a golf bag once again, as he will begin caddying for 2017 PGA Champion Justin Thomas full time.
Thomas had veteran Jimmy Johnson (formerly with the likes of Steve Stricker and Nick Price) on the bag since his rookie year in 2016 and Johnson was recently inducted into the Caddie Hall of Fame.
RELATED: Jimmy Johnson inducted into the Caddie Hall of Fame
Thomas took to Twitter to explain the circumstances of the surprise break up with Johnson:
— Justin Thomas (@JustinThomas34) September 30, 2021
The Caddie Network reached Johnson via text. We asked if he had plans to continue caddying or if he was stepping away from the job he’s had the last 27 years. Johnson replied: “I’m just going to take some time for myself for a change.”
“It came out of left field very recently. I have just tremendous respect for [Thomas] as a person and a player,” Mackay told Golf Channel on Thursday. “It was an incredible phone call to get and I said yes.”
Before joining NBC/Golf Channel, Mackay spent 25 years caddying for Mickelson, a span in which they won 42 events together, including five majors.
Mackay was also on the bag for Thomas as a fill-in to Jimmy Johnson when Johnson was injured at the 2018 Sony Open and again in 2020 for the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational (a tournament Thomas won by three shots), as well as the PGA Championship and all three playoff events.
GolfChannel.com reports:
Mackay will continue to work as an on-course reporter for NBC Sports/Golf Channel when his schedule allows, including next week’s Tour stop in Las Vegas, but he said the draw to caddie for the world No. 6 was too strong.
“I love to caddie and I loved my role with NBC/Golf Channel,” Mackay said, “but it’s Justin Thomas.”
Have there been many caddie player changes over the close season?
Bones is very good on NBC.