What Caddie Has Won The Most Masters?

what caddie has won the most masters

Caddying is more than just carrying a player's golf clubs. Caddies must also understand golf, advise the player on club selection, and fix divots and ball marks. Caddies also do preparation before games, move quickly, rake sand traps, and help keep a player upbeat. They play a big role in how a golfer plays and are integral to winning big matches. Read on to learn about which caddies have helped their golfer counterparts win the most Masters.

List of Caddies With the Most Masters Wins

  1. Steve Williams - 5 Wins
  2. Willie Peterson - 5 Wins
  3. Pappy Stokes - 5 Wins
  4. Nathaniel Avery - 4 Wins
  5. Jim Mackay - 3 Wins

1. Steve Williams

Steve Williams has been a caddie for more championship wins than any other caddie ever. He has caddied for 14 championship wins and began caddying when he was only 10 years old. He was inducted into the Caddie Hall of Fame in 2014.

Steve Williams got his first professional gig caddying for Peter Thomas, an Australian player. He went on to caddie for Greg Norman, Raymond Floyd, and Tiger Woods. Steve Williams caddied for four of five of Tiger Woods’ Masters wins. In 2013, he also caddied for Adam Scott’s Masters win.

Williams is the most well-known caddie in the game and has accompanied players to countless victories. His extensive resume has even led him to be called the most well-known caddie in the history of golf.

2. Willie Peterson

Willie Peterson was inducted into the Caddie Hall of Fame in 2000. He started caddying at Augusta National at age 16. Peterson caddied for Jack Nicklaus for more than 20 years, a relationship that began in 1959. He had never caddied for the same golfer twice before, but Peterson became Nicklaus’s designated caddie anytime he came to Augusta.

Willie Peterson was by Jack Nicklaus’ side for five of his six Masters wins (1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, and 1975) before they ended their working relationship in 1983.

3. Pappy Stokes

Pappy Stokes was a legendary golf caddie, not only due to his Masters wins, but also because he was born on the lands that would become the Augusta National Golf Club, the Fruitlands Nurseries. Stokes (born William Lee Stokes) was born in 1920, and he and his family were both still in residence in the Fruitlands Nurseries when Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts bought the land to create Augusta National. Stokes even helped clear trees for the golf course’s tenth and eleventh holes as a young man.

After helping to create Augusta National, Stokes became a caddie there, and retained the job for the rest of his life. He was the youngest caddie to ever serve at a Masters win, being only 17 years old when he caddied for Henry Picard in the 1938 tournament. Stokes followed up this record first win with four more: in 1948 (Claude Harmon), 1951 and 1953 (Ben Hogan), and 1956 (Jack Burke Jr.). A year after his death in 2006, Stokes was inducted into the Caddie Hall of Fame, and many Augusta National caddies consider him the all-time best caddie on the course.

4. Nathaniel Avery

Nathaniel “Iron Man” Avery was a popular African-American caddie at Augusta National in the 1950s and 60s. His older brother was caddie master at the club and got him a job as a teenager. Avery quickly showed potential and began caddying for Arnold Palmer at age 16.

Avery caddied for Arnold Palmer for 10 years, helping him achieve Masters wins in 1958, 1960, 1962, and 1964. His constant presence at Palmer’s side helped Avery achieve relative stardom, as he was one of the first caddies to get widespread attention from the media.

5. Jim Mackay

Jim Mackay, who also goes by “Bones,” is another highly-accomplished caddie. He supposedly earned the nickname Bones from Fred Couples in 1990. Jim Mackay worked for Phil Mickelson from 1992-2017. Over their 25 years together, they established themselves as an important duo in the game: they had 42 total wins together, including five majors and three Masters.

Honorable Mentions

  • Carl Jackson: (2 wins)
  • Eddie McCoy: (2 wins)
  • Ted Scott: (2 wins)

FAQ

What caddies have won the Masters the most?

Steve Williams, Angelo Argea, and Pappy Stokes have won the Masters the most, with five wins each. Williams got his wins caddying for Tiger Woods and Adam Scott, while Argea got his caddying for Jack Nicklaus. Pappy Stokes is notable for getting five wins with four different golfers.