AVIDGOLFER

Justin Thomas Gets Veteran Caddie His First Major Win

Rick Arnett /

Longtime caddie Jimmy Johnson got his first major win when Justin Thomas took the PGA Championship. Johnson arrived on Tour way back in 1995.

GolfDigest.com’s Tim Rosaforte offers a good bio on the low key Johnson (who I never noticed smiling or celebrating during Thomas’ final winning round).

At 60, Johnson joins Fluff Cowan and Frank Williams among the senior caddies on the PGA Tour. He’s been on tour since 1995 and had carried the clubs for both the current Presidents Cup captains, Nick Price and Steve Stricker, as well as Charles Howell III. With that type of resume, Johnson came highly recommended when Thomas came out of Alabama and was looking for a veteran to guide him in the summer of 2015. “Calm and in the moment,” is how Thomas said he felt with Johnson standing by his side.

That demeanor comes from Johnson’s own experience as a golfer that won four times at North Texas State and spent 17 years traveling with Jennifer on the Sunshine Tour in South Africa, where he won once, finished 17th on the money list in 1995 and befriended Price. Their working relationship began at the suggestion of caddie Jeff “Squeeky” Medlen, who caddied for Price with his Open Championship win in 1994 and two PGA championship victories in 1992 and 1994. Three weeks before he died of leukemia in 1997, Medlen said to Price, “If something happens to me, I really want Jimmy to caddie for you.”

 As close as they were, Johnson moved on to Howell and eventually Stricker, who had a career year in 2009 with three victories and a third-place finish in the final FedEx Cup standings. The toughest conversation Johnson had to make was approaching Stricker about the opportunity to work for Thomas. Being the nice guy and friend that he is, Stricker made it easier by looking out for Johnson’s best interests. “I basically just called Strick and said I’ve got this opportunity, I don’t know what to do. I want to be loyal to you,” Johnson said. “He’s like, ‘Dude, I’m 47. I’m hardly playing. This kid is young and up and coming. That’s a no-brainer. You’ve got to take that job.’”

There’s some age-gap differences that go with the 24-year-old Thomas, but Johnson just goes with the flow. “Justin calls me everything, all kinds of stuff,” says Johnson. “I’ve got a different vocabulary now than when I was caddying for Stricker.”

For example, Johnson might say something like, “I’ll meet you on the putting green.” And Thomas will reply, “Word Dog.”

Jimmy Johnson Justin Thomas