Patrick Cantlay hires Tiger Woods’ longtime caddie Joe LaCava amid uncertainty following ankle surgery

Tiger Woods’ longtime caddie, Joe LaCava, will be on the bag for Patrick Cantlay for the foreseeable future just weeks after Woods underwent ankle surgery which put the rest of his 2023 season in doubt. 

Cantlay and LaCava are teaming up at the Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina this week. 

LaCava, who famously caddied for 15-time PGA Tour winner Fred Couples, said he was not “actively looking” for a new gig, but had previously discussed the possibility with Woods. 

TIGER WOODS UNDERGOES PROCEDURE TO TREAT FOOT INJURY; PGA CHAMPIONSHIP STATUS UNKNOWN

“Tiger’s not going to play much going forwards,” LaCava said during Tuesday’s practice round at Quail Hollows, via the PGA Tour website. “Obviously he’s not retiring. But he’s going to play two to six tournaments a year.”  

Woods, 47, underwent surgery on his right ankle on April 19 to “address his post-traumatic arthritis from his previous talus fracture,” an injury sustained during his February 2021 car accident. 

“Tiger and I have talked about if something were to come up, feel free to do something. ‘I know how much you miss it, how much you love caddying.’ And when this opportunity arose, I checked with Tiger. And he said, ‘You’re crazy not to take the job, go forward, go win some tournaments, go have a great time,’” LaCava added. 

Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis described the move for LaCava as “full-time.” 

Woods’ longtime agent Mark Steinberg told ESPN that there was no timetable for his return. 

“Tiger said repeatedly he’s going to play a very limited schedule around the majors, his events, the father-son, assuming that everything goes well in the rehab and recovery,” Steinberg said. “Joe wants to work, and so I think Tiger got that. We’re just moving on.”