Lefty and Bones split

[hogbud]

Lots of success during 25 year span...nothing lasts forever

[EastexHawg]

Wow, that surprises me.  Maybe we will eventually find out what happened.  I wonder if Phil skipping the U.S. Open had anything to do with it.

I know if I were Phil's caddie I would become frustrated with how many chances to win tournaments he throws away with stupid decisions.  Memphis two weeks ago is only the latest example.  I am a huge Mickelson fan, but he frustrates the hell out of me and I'm sitting at home watching on TV, not toting his bag.

[Jackrabbit Hog]

Wow, that surprises me.  Maybe we will eventually find out what happened.  I wonder if Phil skipping the U.S. Open had anything to do with it.

I know if I were Phil's caddie I would become frustrated with how many chances to win tournaments he throws away with stupid decisions.  Memphis two weeks ago is only the latest example.  I am a huge Mickelson fan, but he frustrates the hell out of me and I'm sitting at home watching on TV, not toting his bag.

I sincerely doubt that Lefty's brain farts on the golf course have anything to do with it.  He made Bones a very rich man and I'm sure he is forever grateful to Phil for that.  I'm wondering if maybe one of the up and coming guys made an offer to Bones and he's weighed 3 years more of competitive Phil versus 20 years of competitive Koepka/Rahm/etc. 

One thing's for sure.  If anybody knows where the bodies are buried in Phil's life it's Bones, so I'd expect Phil will still treat him very well.

[EastexHawg]

I sincerely doubt that Lefty's brain farts on the golf course have anything to do with it.  He made Bones a very rich man and I'm sure he is forever grateful to Phil for that.  I'm wondering if maybe one of the up and coming guys made an offer to Bones and he's weighed 3 years more of competitive Phil versus 20 years of competitive Koepka/Rahm/etc. 

One thing's for sure.  If anybody knows where the bodies are buried in Phil's life it's Bones, so I'd expect Phil will still treat him very well.

Bones is 52.  If he is caddying for Rahm in 20 years he will be an old man with artificial knees who is carrying a bag up and own hills in stifling heat...when he is already fabulously rich.

Bones and Phil were not only business associates but very close friends.  I just have a feeling there is something more than Bones getting an offer from another player.  I don't think this is going to turn out overly well for either of them, especially Mickelson.  Who knows, though, maybe his brother can be even more forceful in trying to talk Phil out of taking stupid chances.

[Dillar Dog]

I feel like semi retirement will turn out overly well for bones.

[EastexHawg]

I feel like semi retirement will turn out overly well for bones.

If it were me full retirement would work just fine.  Then again, maybe I'm not as ambitious as some.  I meant I doubt he will hook up with another player of Mickelson's caliber and popularity.

[East TN HAWG]

Rahm is said that he is not hiring Bones.  Rahm is a straight shooter, brutally honest.  He is not hiring Bones.   

You started to se this thing unravel during The Players.  Phil hit a shot, and he was visibly unhappy with Bones about something.  I will ask Lance what his opinion is Friday, since he knows both Phil and Bones personally.  Also, I wonder if Bone's knees will limit his opportunities?   

[HognitiveDissonance]

Wow, that surprises me.  Maybe we will eventually find out what happened.  I wonder if Phil skipping the U.S. Open had anything to do with it.

I know if I were Phil's caddie I would become frustrated with how many chances to win tournaments he throws away with stupid decisions.  Memphis two weeks ago is only the latest example.  I am a huge Mickelson fan, but he frustrates the hell out of me and I'm sitting at home watching on TV, not toting his bag.

This one is interesting.
On one hand, no big deal, how many things in life last 25 years? Amazing run for this player/caddy relationship.
On the other hand, something had to have been brewing. I don't think it's cancerous, but I know that Bones went ahead to Erin Hills to scout knowing full well that Phil was 99% not going to play. That seems odd considering this news of the split. Makes you wonder if something happened in the last week that tipped it over the edge.

[HognitiveDissonance]

If Bones is available, this won't be the last player/caddy split we see fairly soon.  To me, the question become what player would benefit the most from picking up Bones - perhaps Fowler?

The other question is how much longer does Joe LaCava sit on the sideline?

Great question. Tiger has to be giving him something?
He's basically been unemployed for two years now.
Regardless of how much money he's made, he hasn't been with Tiger thru all the gravy years.
I would bet he's wanting to call it quits right now and move on to another player(or with his life) but just can't pull the trigger quite yet.

[cosmodrum]

I dont think its really anything more than Bones is just done. Like you said, he's 52.

[EastexHawg]

I dont think its really anything more than Bones is just done. Like you said, he's 52.

I would be done or at least thinking about it.  I wonder how Fluff keeps doing it.  Maybe he just enjoys it that much.

[Jackrabbit Hog]

I dont think its really anything more than Bones is just done. Like you said, he's 52.

I'd still whup your azz, you young whippersnapper!     

[Boarcephus]

Based on what you read, I'm under the impression maybe Bones felt he was a bigger part of the team than Phil wanted him to be.  Phil wanted someone to carry his clubs and give him yardages and not argue with him on what club he needed to hit and how to hit it. 

[cosmodrum]

I'd still whup your azz, you young whippersnapper!     

Yeah but you haven't been looping on the PGA your half of uour life!

[EastexHawg]

Based on what you read, I'm under the impression maybe Bones felt he was a bigger part of the team than Phil wanted him to be.  Phil wanted someone to carry his clubs and give him yardages and not argue with him on what club he needed to hit and how to hit it. 

This could be it.  I'm not sure how much of a governor Bones was on Phil and his decisions, but if you listened to them much during tournaments you can see he tried.  I think Phil needs that, too.  Maybe his brother will be more successful.  If you can't argue with your brother, who can you argue with?

[Jackrabbit Hog]

There may be another consideration here that hasn't been talked about much - at his age (47), Phil is definitely in his sunset years and at this point, it is hard to tell if he wants much to do with the senior tour.  If Mackay still has a few good years left (courtesy of his knee replacements), he may want to spend five good years with a player more likely to contend and win at a major than Phil.

I see Phil following the Nicklaus path on the senior tour.  That is, play the majors and virtually nothing else.

[EastexHawg]

I see Phil following the Nicklaus path on the senior tour.  That is, play the majors and virtually nothing else.

Like Jack, he will keep playing regular tour events, too, to see if he can still win there.

I remember Nicklaus saying about the senior tour that he had been playing against and beating those guys for 30 years.  He wanted to see if he could beat the young guys.

[Boarcephus]

There may be another consideration here that hasn't been talked about much - at his age (47), Phil is definitely in his sunset years and at this point, it is hard to tell if he wants much to do with the senior tour.  If Mackay still has a few good years left (courtesy of his knee replacements), he may want to spend five good years with a player more likely to contend and win at a major than Phil. 

I could be wrong but I don't see Phil going to the Sr Tour anytime soon. Generally players can wait to get on the senior tour but he is a young 47 while Tiger is an old 41 and he can still contend.  Until proven wrong, I still think it was his decision.  Bones is a loyal sob but like Garfunkel, he overestimated his worth to the team.

[hogbud]

Several great players with major championships have had great runs on senior tour (Palmer, Trevino, Watson, Irwin, dare I say Langer!). These guys love the competition and enjoy being in the hunt...I think Phil is similar and can get his juices flowing at senior level. Bones stated Phil still playing at "Elite" in his departing comments.

[onebadrubi]

This could be it.  I'm not sure how much of a governor Bones was on Phil and his decisions, but if you listened to them much during tournaments you can see he tried.  I think Phil needs that, too.  Maybe his brother will be more successful.  If you can't argue with your brother, who can you argue with?

Phil gave bones one veto, I don't remember if that was per tournament or per round, to where bones could veto Phils club/shot selection.  Phil went on to say bones hit rate on this was EXTREMELY high, and remembered the only time it was wrong is many years.  This was on feherity I believe

[EastexHawg]

I could be wrong but I don't see Phil going to the Sr Tour anytime soon. Generally players can wait to get on the senior tour but he is a young 47 while Tiger is an old 41 and he can still contend.  Until proven wrong, I still think it was his decision.  Bones is a loyal sob but like Garfunkel, he overestimated his worth to the team.

Phil probably would have won an event of two per year the last couple of years if he had avoided two or three stupid decisions per tournament.  You can't turn one bad drive in an otherwise really good round into a triple bogey, or one greedy shot at a pin tucked over water on the 18th into a double like he did in Memphis.  He had another brain dead double as well.  No one is good enough to throw away seven strokes per tournament, including Phil.

[Boarcephus]

Phil gave bones one veto, I don't remember if that was per tournament or per round, to where bones could veto Phils club/shot selection.  Phil went on to say bones hit rate on this was EXTREMELY high, and remembered the only time it was wrong is many years.  This was on feherity I believe

I think it was one veto per year.  I believe it was on Feherty when he said Bones wanted to use it in some overseas tournament.  Bones told Phil he was invoking his veto power and Phil told him it was not valid outside the US.   

[EastexHawg]

I think it was one veto per year.  I believe it was on Feherty when he said Bones wanted to use it in some overseas tournament.  Bones told Phil he was invoking his veto power and Phil told him it was not valid outside the US.   

I remember something about that.  I think maybe one of the vetoes Bones did get to use was when Phil was going to skip a ball over the water to get close to the hole.

[East TN HAWG]

I remember something about that.  I think maybe one of the vetoes Bones did get to use was when Phil was going to skip a ball over the water to get close to the hole.

Phil told my brother-in-law that story during a practice round.  The veto was in New Orleans on a Friday, and they were on the cut line.  Bones wanted to make the cut and used his veto.  Phil said "Your going to use your veto in New Orleans on a Friday?"

One veto per season.

[PonderinHog]

Bones has a new gig.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/golf/jim-%E2%80%98bones%E2%80%99-mackay-to-become-nbc-golf-channel-on-course-reporter/ar-BBDTAjY?li=BBnb7Kz

[Boarcephus]

Bones has a new gig.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/golf/jim-%E2%80%98bones%E2%80%99-mackay-to-become-nbc-golf-channel-on-course-reporter/ar-BBDTAjY?li=BBnb7Kz

Appreciate the update and good for him.  He could definitely add another angle for the viewers.  I bet he'll do well. 

[Boarcephus]

Ya think Feherty is going to have some fun with this?

Are they going to be on together?

[Iwastherein1969]

I noticed after the first day of coverage by THE GOLF CHANNEL the, "hey Bones, tell us what Dustin Johnson has working on the 7th". When the booth sent it out for Bones to give a report on the action of a particular player, the reply was always something like this, "yeah, Nick, Dustin has a decent lie and oh, he hit the ball, it was a good one"....two seconds later, the GOLF CHANNEL ANCHOR says, it's short and left in the trap. After day 1 of THE OPEN ol' Bones didn't get much air time.  Bones is just wasting time and getting a paycheck until he can catch on with someone on the senior tour where the golf isn't quite as serious, the bags aren't quite as big and the golf courses aren't a rolling 7,600 yards long.