Tiger Woods’s caddie, Joe LaCava, has seen it all! From the highs of major championships to the lows of injuries and setbacks. But despite their long and successful partnership, there’s one aspect of their relationship that makes LaCava feel uneasy. It’s not Woods’s famously intense personality or his exacting standards. Instead, it was something much more mundane: driving.
Driving? Yes! LaCava revealed a fascinating insight into their working relationship in a 2022 Golf Digest video. Before Woods, he had worked for Fred Couples for 21 years and was accustomed to being behind the wheel. But with Woods, he found himself in the passenger seat, a position that made him feel “uncomfortable.” Why? Because, as he says, both he and Woods are “control freaks” who prefer to be in the driver’s seat.
“We were joking the other day because I said, you know, this is the only time I’d actually don’t drive…. I said this is weird to me and always in this you know I’m always driving. But with him, he’s always driving because we’re very alike in the fact that we’re control freaks. So we always both got to be driving so it’s uncomfortable for me.” LaCava said with a chuckle.
And it’s this difference that reveals a fascinating insight into the 15-times major winner’s personality. But despite their shared control freak tendencies, the looper’s experience with the G.O.A.T has been overwhelmingly positive. In the same video, he shared a more lighthearted side of Tiger Woods.
He noted, “He’s got a good sense of humor. you just don’t see as much, because around here, he’s always coming and going and kind of business like and stuff like that. but, you know, pretty laid back. you know, for a guy with his stature or whatever, what he’s accomplished, he’s very low maintenance.
This glimpse into Woods’s personality off the course, offers a contrast to his public image. It’s a side of him that few get to see, except for those closest to him, like his caddie. As we explore the dynamics of their relationship, it becomes clear that the bond between Woods and LaCava is built on more than just player-caddie camaraderie.
Tiger Woods and Joe LaCava’s lasting connection
After Woods fired Steve Williams after the 2011 US Open, he hired LaCava in September of that year. The duo burst onto the scene with a resounding victory at the 2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational. However, this initial triumph was just the spark that ignited a winning streak, as they went on to conquer 11 PGA Tour events together. Moreover, the looper was by his side as he claimed his most recent major title at the 2019 Masters, breaking the 11-year-long major drought.
Woods shared an aspect of his and LaCava’s relationship in Another Golf Podcast, before the 2023 PNC Championship. He cherished the moment when the LaCava duo – Joe and his son – worked as bagmen for him and his son Charlie Woods. He described the scene as, “So little Joe’s caring for little Charlie and big Joe’s caring for me.”
Both, Tiger Woods and his ex- caddie’s bond extends beyond the golf course. Now, with LaCava’s son joining the duo, he occasionally creates a unique and supportive family affair. Let’s hear your thoughts on this uncomfortable but enduring pairing.
