Justin Thomas‘ regular caddie, Jimmy Johnson, is not feeling well enough to work at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational this week, so Phil Mickelson‘s former caddie, Jim “Bones” Mackay, will take over this week, and likely next week for the PGA Championship, as well.
Mackay, who worked for Mickelson for 25 years and now is a commentator on NBC broadcasts, said Wednesday that he viewed the situation as helping out a couple of friends while he has a few weeks off.
Thomas, who is ranked third in the world, contacted him on Tuesday to see if he could make it to Memphis, Tennessee, for the tournament. Mackay is also expected to work for Thomas at next week’s PGA Championship.
Johnson became overheated during the third round of the Memorial Tournament two weeks ago in sweltering temperatures, causing Thomas to have his father, Mike, caddie the final six holes. Mike Thomas is also Justin Thomas’ swing coach. Thomas’ father also worked the final round.
Johnson, a veteran caddie who used to work for Steve Stricker and Nick Price, among others, had traveled to TPC Southwind to work this week but decided against going forward during a time when temperatures are expected to be in the low 90s.
Mackay said he still loves caddying and is happy to help. He also worked for Matthew Fitzpatrick — whose regular caddie, Billy Foster, had to quarantine for two weeks after coming to the United States from England — for two weeks at the Workday Charity Open and the Memorial Tournament, where he shot the low final round and finished third.
Thomas used Mackay as a caddie one other time, in 2018 at the Sony Open where he finished in a tie for 14th when Johnson had a foot injury.