Thomas, Bones make perfect pair at WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The winning team came together rather quickly.

Justin Thomas found out mid-day Tuesday that his regular caddie, Jimmie Johnson, wouldn’t be able to work this week’s World Golf Championship-FedEx St. Jude Invitational. Johnson was at home undergoing tests after suffering dizzy spells two weeks ago during the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide.

Jim “Bones” Mackay was the name that immediately came to Thomas’ mind. Mackay, who spent a quarter-century caddying for Phil Mickelson, had caddied for Thomas at the 2008 Sony Open in Hawaii (Thomas finished T-14) and knows Thomas’ game well. Mackay also will be on the bag for this week’s PGA Championship.

“I honestly was 50-50 on thinking if it would work out on this short notice. The tournament started in a day and a half, two days and I was very lucky,” Thomas said. “Bones knows my game well enough not only from when he caddied for Phil, but just watching me play a lot of rounds when he's commentating. If I do ask him a question, you know, he's not just saying something to make me happy, he actually has input.”

They were the perfect pairing, as Thomas won his second World Golf Championship with a 13-under 267 total at TPC Southwind.

Thomas started the final round in fifth place, four shots off the lead. They were paired with Mackay’s old boss, Mickelson, in Sunday’s third-to-last group.

The four-shot deficit matched the largest that Thomas has overcome in any of his 13 PGA TOUR victories.

“He did great,” Thomas said of Mackay. “He did what a lot of great caddies do and they let the player do it. There's a reason why they're the best and he did an unbelievable job this week, especially for being in that situation, which we had never been in that together. You know, every player and caddie handles it differently. Jimmy's the best at that for me and with me, but I unfortunately didn't have him here with me today. I was thinking about him out there. I'm hoping he's doing better, but, you know, Bones did a great job and I was very lucky that he has been there a lot more than I have, so he handled the situation well.”

The win was the first that Mackay was part of a win since he and Mickelson split in 2017. Earlier this season, Mackay caddied for Matthew Fitzpatrick in the two events at Muirfield Village. Fitzpatrick finished T27 at the Workday Charity Open and third in the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide.