One Big Question Ahead Of Tiger Woods' Return

Tiger Woods recently admitted that he is pain free but a little sore after four days caddying for son Charlie at the Notah Begay III Junior Championships.

It's the latest hint that a return is imminent, with a spot available for him in his Hero World Challenge event later this month. Woods walking four days straight seemed like too much of a challenge just a week ago but he has done just that this past weekend, albeit without hitting the shots - although he won't need to carry a bag at the Hero.

If he does return this month, or even in December at the PNC Championship, we'll start asking ourselves questions like 'Will he have made any equipment changes?' and 'Has Nike made him a golf shoe yet to get him out of the FootJoys?'

However, a more pressing question ahead of Tiger Woods' next comeback is - who will his caddie be?

The 15-time Major winner hasn't used a great deal of bagmen in his 25+ year career, from Mike 'Fluff' Cowan to Steve Williams and Joe LaCava, there hasn't been many in between.

He split with Joe LaCava earlier this year after working together since 2011. The pair won five times together in 2013 when Woods returned to the World No.1 spot, with LaCava then remaining loyal to Woods through multiple surgeries and injury layoffs. It was LaCava who was on the bag for Tiger's 15th Major triumph at Augusta in 2019.

He moved on to more frequent work with Patrick Cantlay, which led to his now-infamous moment with Rory McIlroy at the 2023 Ryder Cup - resulting in a furious McIlroy sounding off to Jim 'Bones' Mackay in the parking lot before being wrestled back into the car by Shane Lowry.

Woods' agent Mark Steinberg confirmed to ESPN in May that it was an amicable split between the pair. "Joe called Tiger to ask him and get his approval," Steinberg told ESPN

"Of course, Tiger gave it. Tiger and Joe are like brothers, tremendous friends. You shouldn't read anything more in to that other than Joe wants to caddie. He loves it. It's his passion. He's great at it and one of the best. 

"Tiger said repeatedly he's going to play a very limited schedule around the Majors, his events, the father-son, assuming that everything goes well in the rehab and recovery. Joe wants to work, and so I think Tiger got that. We're just moving on."

Whoever Woods' caddie at the Hero World Challenge or PNC Championship will be, it will be interesting to see if he goes for a friend or business associate or a full timer. If he managed to sweep one of the top pros' bagmen away it would signal that he's serious about playing at the top level again next year.

It's difficult to know which caddies are on the market now as the PGA Tour season doesn't fully get up-and-running again until January following August's FedEx Cup Playoffs.

One potential wildcard could be Joe LaCava Jr, who got his first pro win alongside Steve Stricker on the PGA Tour Champions this year and was Charlie Woods' caddie at last year's PNC. 

The subject was raised on PGA Tour Sirius XM, with Brian Katrek and John Maginnes raising the possibility of Charlie Woods caddying for his dad at some point in the future.

Woods' ankle is now fully healed from his April surgery and he says it's now the rest of his leg that's causing him pain. Whether that pain is enough to stop him from practicing and playing to the levels he'll expect of himself remains to be seen.

It's going to be very interesting to see who he has on the bag in this next return.

Also coming up soon is Black Friday shopping extravaganza, and the Black Friday golf deals have already started rolling in.