Longtime PGA TOUR caddie inducted during BMW Championship
MEDINAH, Illinois (August 15, 2019) – Longtime PGA TOUR caddie Joe LaCava was inducted into The Caddie Hall of Fame on Wednesday, Aug. 14, during the 2019 BMW Championship at Medinah Country Club.
A native of Newtown, Connecticut, LaCava is known to golf fans around the world for his work alongside Tiger Woods. LaCava was hired by Woods in September 2011, and was on the bag in April for Woods’ momentous win at the 2019 Masters.
“I’m overwhelmed tonight,” LaCava said. “I love caddying because I’m just competitive and I hate losing. That’s what it’s about for me. I’m all about winning and having my guy win.”
LaCava began his career in 1987 looping for his cousin Ken Green before Fred Couples hired him in 1990. With LaCava on the bag, Couples notched 12 PGA TOUR victories, including wins at the 1992 Masters and the 1996 Players Championship. LaCava also worked for Davis Love III, Justin Leonard and Dustin Johnson before joining with Woods and becoming one of the most recognized caddies in the game.
“We are honored and excited to welcome Joe LaCava into The Caddie Hall of Fame,” said Vince Pellegrino, Senior Vice President of Tournaments for the Western Golf Association, which conducts the BMW Championship. “For more than 30 years, Joe has personified professionalism and elevated the profile of caddies worldwide.”
LaCava was inducted into The Caddie Hall of Fame following the BMW Championship’s Gardner Heidrick Pro-Am at Medinah Country Club.
Administered by the Western Golf Association since 2011, The Caddie Hall of Fame highlights the tradition and importance of caddying by recognizing individuals who have devoted their lives to the game of golf through caddying or by supporting the role of caddies.
Past inductees include Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Charles “Chick” Evans, Jim “Bones” Mackay, Steve Williams, and the Murray Brothers.
About The Caddie Hall of Fame
The Caddie Hall of Fame highlights the tradition and importance of caddying by recognizing and celebrating individuals who have devoted their lives to the game of golf through caddying or by supporting the role of caddies.
The Hall of Fame was created in 1991 by the Professional Caddies Association, with the WGA taking over formal administration in 2011. Notable members of the Caddie Hall of Fame include Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Charles “Chick” Evans, Francis Ouimet, Mike Keiser, Thomas Friedman, the Murray Brothers and Peter Ueberroth.
For more information on The Caddie Hall of Fame, visit CaddieHallofFame.org.
About the BMW Championship
The BMW Championship dates back to 1899 when it debuted as the Western Open, making it the third-oldest tournament on the PGA TOUR schedule, behind only the British Open and U.S. Open. BMW has sponsored the tournament since 2007 when it became the penultimate event of the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup Playoffs.
The BMW Championship features a field of the top 70 players in the FedExCup standings to determine the final 30 players for the FedExCup final at the TOUR Championship in Atlanta. Since 2007, the BMW Championship has contributed more than $30 million to the Evans Scholars Foundation, the event’s charitable beneficiary. To learn more, visit www.bmwchampionship.com.
About the Western Golf Association
The Western Golf Association conducts six national golf championships and sponsors the nationally acclaimed Evans Scholars Foundation. Headquartered in Golf, Illinois, the organization was founded in 1899 by 11 Chicago-area golf clubs to promote their interests in golf. In addition to the BMW Championship, the WGA conducts four prestigious amateur championships, the Western Amateur, the Western Junior, and the Women’s Western Golf Association’s Amateur and Junior championships. Starting in 2019, the WGA also conducted the Evans Scholars Invitational on the Korn Ferry Tour. To learn more, visit www.wgaesf.org.
