Justin Thomas has announced that he and caddie Jim “Bones” Mackay have gone their separate ways.
The pair joined forces in 2021 and that partnership led to considerable success for Thomas, including victory at the 2022 PGA Championship.
That spell has now come to an end, as Thomas revealed on X. He wrote: “While incredibly difficult for me to say, Bones and I have parted ways. I’m going to be forever thankful for him joining me on the bag in 2021. The things we’ve been able to accomplish together - The PGA Championship in 2022, The Presidents Cup, The Ryder Cups were all unforgettable experiences.
“His wisdom on and off the course has been a blessing during a tough stretch of my career and he was there every step of the way.
“I know there are great things coming for both of us down the road. I wish him the best of luck and will always count him and his family amongst my friends.”
pic.twitter.com/QkABr5eMvoApril 3, 2024
While the pair enjoyed a largely successful working relationship, last year also coincided with a worrying slump in form for Thomas, who failed to make the FedEx Cup playoffs. Last September, Thomas made changes to his coaching team in order to address the slump ahead of the Ryder Cup but retained the services of Mackay.
That appeared to have paid off, as Thomas has shown signs of a resurgence in form in 2024 so far, including a T3 at The American Express and a T6 at one of the PGA Tour’s signature events, the Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
pic.twitter.com/jp1mIQcTbEApril 3, 2024
The move comes at a crucial stage of the season for Thomas, with The Masters now just a week away and the three other Majors all following soon after. Last year, Thomas failed to make the cut at Augusta National, and in the immediate term, he will be eager to ensure there is not a repeat of that failure this year.
Per the Golf Channel's Todd Lewis, Thomas has moved quickly to appoint a caddie for The Masters, with Patrick Cantlay's former bagman Matt Minister taking on the role.
Justin Thomas & Jim “Bones” Mackay are elite in their craft. The split is surprising given the timing for sure.On the bag next week for @JustinThomas34 at @TheMasters will be veteran Matt Minister who was the caddie for @patrick_cantlay when he won the 2021 @TOURChamp.April 3, 2024
The news of Thomas' split with Mackay comes just a week after three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson announced his brother Tim had retired as his caddie, with Jon Yarbrough replacing him.
