CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Tiger Woods won’t be at the Wells Fargo Championship this week, but his caddie will.
Or, rather, his former caddie.
Joe LaCava, who has been on the bag for Woods since 2011 and helped him win his fifth Masters title in 2019, has accepted a full-time caddying role with Patrick Cantlay, who is currently No. 4 in the Official World Golf Ranking. It’s not clear whether it’s an indication that Woods, who underwent surgery last month after making the cut at the Masters but withdrawing before the third round, is done for the season.
“When I reached out to Joe, he said it was possible,” Cantlay said, “and it ended up working out and I’m really happy about it.”
Justin Thomas, who is close friends with Woods, said he isn’t sure when the 15-time major champion will return to play competitive golf. However, Thomas called LaCava one of the most loyal people he knows, adding that he has remained true to Woods while he battled through a series of injuries, including a broken leg from a car crash in 2021.