PGA Tour caddie Todd Montoya reflects on decision to come out to peers
Veteran PGA Tour caddie Todd Montoya, often regarded as the hardest working caddie on Tour by his peers, was featured in a piece on Golf Channel on Monday in which he spoke to reporter Kira Dixon about his decision to come out as gay to players and fellow caddies.
As the story explains — which you can see in the video player above — Montoya’s decision to come out after all these years wasn’t an easy one, but he’s been overwhelmed by the support. Montoya initially only told his secret to those closest to him, including players Doug LaBelle and current boss Brian Stuard and was deeply touched by their support.
“After he told me he’d been living with that for a number of years, I thought that had to be a tough thing to feel like you couldn’t tell anybody,” Stuard said.
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Montoya looked back on the day he came out to Stuard.
“I went out to dinner that evening and a text comes through from Brian,” an emotional Montoya said. “It says, ‘Just wanted to say thanks for another successful year and also just wanted to say that I really appreciate that you told me and that I feel very grateful that you consider me close enough for you to open up. And don’t think for one second that makes me think any differently of you and the person that you are.'”
“I just wanted to make sure he knew that it didn’t change the way I felt about him,” Stuard said. “He’s always been the same Todd to me.”
To say Montoya was touched would be an understatement.
“I feel like Brian has given me the greatest gift I could get,” Montoya explained. “I feel like he’s given me my freedom.”
So, why come out now? Montoya hopes his story will inspire others to be their most authentic self.
Todd is one of the best guys out there. I don’t think of people in that way. I like the person as is. I am glad “the other guy” is so supported of Todd.
Thank you, Todd for sharing your story and for being brave as well! We need more people like you so there can be less stigma in our lives.
Kudos to you and Brian as well!
Bests of luck going forward!