Tis the season to be jolly as well as for pro golfers to switch golf gear and change caddies.
The caddie carousel is the focus of this story. Ludvig Aberg, No. 30 in the Official World Golf Ranking, got the party started a few weeks ago by hiring Joe Skovron away from Tom Kim.
“For next year, all I’m looking for is more experience in these bigger tournaments,” he told Smylie Kaufman on his podcast “The Smylie Show.” “I wanted someone I could rely on 1,000 percent, and I think with the experience in the past that Joe has kind of speaks for itself and I think that’s mainly what I’m looking for. Playing a U.S. Open where you win with 6 under, it’s difficult to get away with mistakes and I think that’s what went into that decision.”
Golfweek has learned that Kim has hired a replacement, choosing Daniel Parratt, who formerly caddied for Kim’s International Team Presidents Cup teammate K.H. Lee.
Kim, who is ranked No. 11 in the world, won the Shriners Children’s Open twice with Skovron on the bag and was the darling of the 2022 Presidents Cup. Kim’s agent declined to confirm the caddie change.
Kim isn’t the only top-25 ranked player who will have a new caddie next season. Golfweek has learned that Cameron Young will have a new sidekick, too, when he starts the season at The Sentry in Maui.
Longtime caddie Paul Tesori confirmed to Golfweek that he has jumped ship to the bag of veteran pro Brendon Todd, a three-time Tour winner who is coming off a season in which he finished in the top 50 of the FedEx Cup and is booked for eight signature events in 2024. Tesori, who spent more than 12 years working for Webb Simpson, joined Young one of the top young players on Tour and ranked No. 21 in the world, in March at the WGC-Dell Match Play.
But with Todd’s caddie David Clark moving to LIV to work for Ian Poulter, Tesori, who has been dealing with a back injury, has opted to go with the veteran over a rising star who has seemed on the verge of reaching the winner’s circle for some time. It’s unclear who will work for Young next season. An email requesting comment was unanswered at this time. But with the new season scheduled to start on Jan. 4, it won’t be long until we find out.