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Tiger Woods hasn't had the greatest year, having played just nine rounds on the PGA tour. However, there's one person who has stuck with him through his highs and lows of late—his caddie Joe LaCava.
LaCava has been with the legendary golfer for over 11 years. Let's throw some light on the veteran caddie.
Who is Joe LaCava?
Joe LaCava is a celebrated caddie in the golf world. Having been inducted into the Hall of Fame in January, LaCava has been caddying since the 1980s. The American was born in 1962 in Newtown, Connecticut.
Before LaCava joined the fellow American, he had a successful partnership with Fred Couples, having won 12 titles, including the Masters in 1992.
After their split, LaCava had a short stint with Davis Love III and Justin Leonard, finally settling with Dustin Johnson for four years before his partnership with Woods.
LaCava has been part of 28 PGA Tour titles, most of which were with Couples (12), followed by Woods (11). He also won five with Dustin Johnson.
How much does LaCava earn?
The question comes about how much is being earned by the golfers' caddie. Golf Week states that the caddie has a base salary. However, apart from his base salary, a caddie also gets an amount ranging between 5 and 10 per cent of a professional golfer’s winnings.
According to Forbes, the base pay of a caddie varies from $1,500 to $2,500 per week during golf tournaments. It was reported in 2007 that Steve Williams, Tiger's former caddie, earned more than $1 million.
In 2018, Woods made an earning of around $5.4 million. It can be assumed that Joe made anywhere between $272K and 544K this year.
Caddies don't just earn on the golf course. They also earn a good chunk of money through paid partnerships, sponsors, and branding. Top-earning golfers like Tiger, Phil Mickelson, and Rory McIlroy earn over $200,000 per year from brand endorsements.
The Woods-LaCava partnership
There was no immediate success for the Woods-LaCava duo as the former No. 1 slipped to the 58th position in November 2011. However, it did not take much time for the partnership to taste success as Woods eventually jumped back to the top position from March 2013 to May 2014.
Their relationship doesn't exist only on the golf course but outside of it as well. Both have been there for each other at crucial times. LaCava didn't leave Woods when he was injured in 2017, having played just four tournaments.
LaCava's son has caddied for Woods' son, Charles Woods, at the PNC Championships in 2020 and 2021.
What's next for LaCava and Woods?
2022 was a forgettable year for Woods as he could only play nine rounds on the PGA Tour. He had a terrible car accident in May 2021 and since then has been trying to regain shape.
The former No. 1 is looking to return to the golf course as he has announced to play in the Hero World Challenge Championship, which starts on November 28. He is also scheduled to play at the PNC Championship, where he will team up with his son.
