Now the understated and underrated caddie for Brooks Koepka, Elliott has enjoyed a front-row seat for some major championship history over the past three years, helping his man to four quick titles. "Ricky Elliott, who caddies for Brooks Koepka, was a guy I looked up to when I was about 12 or 13 because he was pretty much the best junior player here in Portrush," McDowell said. When the year wrapped up, Koepka had won $7,094,047 total while posting six top-10 finishes. No where was this more apparent than at The Masters in 2014. And as the pressure goes up, the more even-keeled he gets. Which is unusual for a good athlete or player. For his part, Elliot was prepared for the reception he might get from some of his fellow caddies once the tournament started. at Bethpage on Sunday, Koepka will head to Pebble Beach next month looking for a third consecutive US Open victory - a feat only previous achieved by Scotsman Willie Anderson from 1903 to 1905. Hes striping these shots, Elliot has said of their initial meeting. Kerr tells the story about how Edwards commandeered the 1982 U.S. Open flag from the par-3 17th hole at Pebble Beach. Powered by. Ahead of the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush, theres been a lot of chatter about the very few who have some level of familiarity with the course that hasnt hosted The Open since 1951. European caddie to work for US team Ricky Elliott will carry the bag of American Brooks Koepka at this month's Ryder Cup 2016-09-19 - Ricky Elliott always hoped he could be in the Ryder Cup, the dream of any aspiring golfer from Portrush in Northern Ireland. I felt more sorry for him than I did for myself.. In 2013 Elliot was in between gigs in Europe, having spent the past few years working for Maarten Lafeber and Ben Curtis. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports). "I've played there a lot growing up but Brooks hits the ball differently than the lines I hit it on," said Elliott, who is good friends with another Portrush native, former US Open champion. "He's just so calm all the time. Elliot and Koepka are one of golfs odd couples. My heart was full of gratitude, and it was the natural thing for me to bow and show respect for the Masters.. Northern Irishman Elliott, from Portrush, started caddying for Koepka at the 2013 US PGA Championship and the pair have worked together ever since, during which time Koepka has won four major titles and 25million US dollars in prize money on the PGA Tour and become world number one. Hes had the same manager, coaches, and same caddie for the last six years. In the final round of the US Open last month, Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson - close friends and gym buddies - barely spoke a word to each. Matt joined Golf Monthly in February 2021 covering weekend news, before also transitioning to equipment and testing. [Mick] has got stuff to sort out at home after a long year and its nice to share this experience with my best mate, Hugo, on the bag, Hatton told Martin Dempster of the Scotsman. https://golfweek.usatoday.com/lists/18th-hole-flag-becoming-caddie-trophy/, Mexico, Caribbean, Atlantic islands, Central America, Top 50 Classic Courses in Great Britain & Ireland, Top 50 Modern Courses in Great Britain & Ireland, PGA Tour approves radical schedule changes, reducing fields in elevated events and ending cuts, Drivers used by PGA Tour pros ranked in the top 10 in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, Best irons for 2023 for every handicap and playing style. For Ricky Elliott - a former Irish Boys' champion, back in 1994, who graduated from the University of Toledo and subsequently embarked on a playing career that mainly involved competing on . Golfweek cites a story in Forbes which states that caddies would receive 10 percent if a player won the event, seven percent for a top-10 finish and five percent for anything lower. Brooks Koepka is a four-time major champion and the No. - Just so you know, whilst we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this page, we never allow this to influence product selections. Hes part of the reason why Ive had the success Ive had. (Steve Schaefer/AFP via Getty Images), Tiger Woods talks with caddie Steve Williams during a practice round prior to the 2009 World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship. 1s, took it upon himself to investigate my question and called around trying to piece the puzzle together. Koepka wasnt feeling right and who better than his trusted caddie to get things back on track? Bones didnt participate in Shipnucks book, and when asked to confirm these details from the unauthorized biography, he declined. At the Masters and The Open, he didnt putt well all week. As for the flag and pole from 1992, it is proudly on display in his bedroom. By most accounts, the average weekly base pay for caddies on the PGA Tour runs in the neighborhood of $1,800-$2,000 per week. New Zealands Sam Pinfold made off with both a Players Championship and British Open flag this year working for Aussie Cameron Smith. He remembers going to the home of caddie Paul Fusco, who has looped since 1993 and works for Sei Young Kim on the LPGA these days, in the late 1990s, and his walls were decorated with flags from tournaments hed won with Vijay Singh (1993 and 95 Buick Classic among Fuscos 27 victories). One moment stood out for Elliott as emblematic of the Koepka motif, that ability to summon brilliance while exhibiting the unflappable calm of a stoned frat boy. He made the cut that week, played with Tiger (Woods) on Sunday and said to me in the locker room, Do you fancy doing a few in Europe?'. VAT no 918 5617 01 Koepka ended up finishing tied for 50th in the tournament, but hey, it could have been worse. She was sentenced to probation. One truly great guy with even a better attitude. Your email address will not be published. It just didnt really interest me to go out there and just play to a low standard. Former caddie Fanny Sunneson says Nick Faldo used to claim the flag at his major wins, too. Smith is the executive chairman and co-founder of Qualtrics, a Utah-based company that sponsors Finau. Ken Comboy, who has been on the bag for 25 wins over his 30-year career, including the 2010 U.S. Open for his current boss, Graeme McDowell, is of the school of thought that his check is his trophy at the end of a successful tournament. Hes got the club out before I give him the yardage, and very rarely does he put the club back in. And then under pressure he knows exactly what to say at the right time, and thats what you want in a caddie. By Koepkas side is his trusted caddie, Ricky Elliot, who has been with Koepka since 2013. Elliott is from Portrush, Northern Ireland, host of this years Open Championship. Now well see if his knowledge can help Koepka capture his first Claret Jug. I dont know who started this every week stuff. (Some say this is where the saying Winner, winner, chicken dinner was coined.). So whenever I go back working for him again Im going to start thinking so what would I hit? and then take two clubs off of it. Together they have brought Koepka up to the top level of golfers and with Elliots help, Koepka has started racking up some of his first major tournament wins. Ricky Elliott always hoped he could be in the Ryder Cup, the dream of any aspiring golfer from Portrush in Northern Ireland. It was on the 16th tee at Bellerive in the final round of the PGA Championship. In many events, the minimum payout for making the cut and finishing somewhere around 70th or slightly better is at least $20,000. At the British Open at Turnberry in 1986, Greg had a five-stroke lead and were on 18 and I went to grab the flag and a greenkeeper came up to me and said, What are you doing? I said, Its a tradition to take the winning flag and for the caddie to keep it. He ripped it from me and said, Youre not going to keep this one, and he ran off with it, Bender recalls. Two-thirty-four, the bagman replied, warily. When looking back at the 2018 season for Koepka, it was an impressive run which featured victories at both the U.S. Open and PGA Championship. January hadn't been as much fun for Elliott, the longtime caddie for Brooks Koepka. "The first practice we played I just thought, 'This guy is the real deal, he is hitting the ball unbelievably'. I have the memories. Ricky Elliott, longtime caddie for Brooks Koepka, is one step ahead of him. She has 17 flags, but primarily collected caddie bibs, tickets and yardage books, which are stored in boxes at home. There are some caddies who think they won the golf tournament. Its completely the opposite of what everyone else does.. At regular events I think there is the sense that hes the overwhelming favourite because hes the best in the world. The Euro Tour guys with Seve, Faldo, Langer.. For Phil not to follow the tradition was hugely disrespectful.. He was averaging about four rounds per year since he began looping for four-time major winner Brooks Koepka in 2013. Read about our approach to external linking. What's more, to ensure the Covid doesn't get communicated to other people, Koeka has pulled out from the Travelers Championship. Earlier this week McDowell called Elliott the best junior golfer the areas ever known. "We just had to block it out and keep talking between ourselves," Elliott said of the chants. Elliott came to the U.S. for college, and he attended the University of Toledo in Ohio. Koepka won his first major in the 2017 US Open at Erin Hills and after becoming the first player since Curtis Strange in 1989 to defend the title at Shinnecock Hills, he also won the 2018 US PGA at Bellerive. He was with Ben Curtis during his 2012 Texas Open win and also caddied for Matt Fitzpatrick during the 2014 Masters. Staff Writer. Koepka was also in Europe at the time and in 2013 was playing on the European Tour. His usual caddie Mick Donaghy recently bought a home is Leicester and opted out of the weeks action, which meant he got the chance to bring in a buddy for the job. NEW PROVIDENCE, Bahamas Golf fans will recognize every player at this weeks Hero World Challenge, Tiger Woods Bahamas invitational tournament. Veteran hands with fresh faces serve as a reminder that on Tour, nothing is permanent. Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports. Kerr, who brags that he has caddied for 35 years on Tour, at over 125 majors, for 14 major winners, including nine Hall of Famers and six former World No. But while possessing total self-assurance, Koepka regularly seeks wise counsel from family and others in his circle, says Elliott. Atthat time Tiger was winning six to seven tournaments a year. Now Koepka aims to repay his beloved caddie, 42, after The Open returned to . All of the bonus money is believed to be added on top of the standard salary he makes as well. Ricky Elliott (brought into the world in the year 1978 or 1979) is generally known as the caddie of the acclaimed American golf player, Brooks Koepka. When Kaiser started feeling ill he thought of Greiner first because of his familiarity with Schauffele (the two are friends and frequent golf partners) and his week-to-week performance on Homas bag. Heres what you need to know about Ricky Elliot. In 1995, Pavin won the U.S. Openat Shinnecock and Schwarz got hisflag. 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