Abraham Ancer gets into contention with familiar caddie

BRADENTON, Fla. – One by one they came in to talk about their second rounds at the World Golf Championships – Workday Championship at The Concession, where Brooks Koepka (66, 11 under) leads by one over Billy Horschel (67), Collin Morikawa (64) and Cameron Smith (66).

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They spoke of working harder in the last few months than they have in years (Smith) or going low (Morikawa) or the smart course set-up (Horschel). Then there was the guy who shot 66 to get to 7 under, four back, who came in and said of his caddie: “He beats me all the time.”

Wait. What?

Mexico’s Abraham Ancer, the breakout star of the 2019 Presidents Cup, is cruising at The Concession with countryman and Korn Ferry Tour pro Roberto Díaz as his caddie.

“He’s doing great,” Ancer said with a laugh after making birdie on his last hole despite a long wait as Viktor Hovland made an 8 up ahead. “I mean obviously he’s not used to caddying, so there’s been a couple of greens that he’s like waiting for the putter instead of giving me the putter. But it’s been fun. We’re great friends and we’re having a good time.”

Díaz, who played the PGA TOUR in 2018 and finished T14 at the Korn Ferry Tour’s LECOM Suncoast Classic last week, came into the week admitting that he’d never caddied before. Still, he was happy to help out in a pinch. Dale Vallely, Ancer’s regular bag man, couldn’t make it, and since Díaz was going to be just down the road at the LECOM, he stepped up.

“We live pretty close to each other in San Antonio, so I know his game pretty well,” Díaz said. “This is my first time. It’s been good. It’s a different role this week, just trying to help. I’m just keeping up, staying quiet, doing the numbers. I’ve got the bag ready and that’s about it.”

Ancer had a forgettable opening round 71, but all sorts of adventures, mostly the good kind, on Friday. His card featured seven birdies, an eagle (par-5 17th) and three bogeys.

Of the top 11 players on the leaderboard at the WGC-Workday, only two, Ancer (T10) and Matthew Fitzpatrick (69, 9 under, T5) will be vying for their first TOUR win.

“He’s four years older than me,” Ancer said of Díaz, “so I didn’t grow up playing with him or against him. I met him right when I turned pro at Q school and since then we’ve been great friends and play a lot back home. We belong to the same club.”

Their matches at San Antonio’s Oak Hills Country Club have helped polish both of their games, and convinced Ancer that his caddie this week has a bright future. “He’ll get back out here on TOUR,” he said of Díaz. “He’s good enough. He’s just got to believe it a little bit more.”

But not for the next two days. For now, all he’s got to do keep up, stay quiet and do the numbers. And it’s only a one-week deal. At the Korn Ferry Tour’s next stop, the Chitimacha Louisiana Open presented by MISTRAS, March 18-21, Díaz will be the one taking, not giving, the putter.