JJ Spaun claimed his first major title at the US Open on Sunday, and his caddie, Mark Carens, was handed a special gift by Phil Mickelson’s former bagman, Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay
J.J. Spaun and caddie Mark Carens were in a celebratory mood after the golfer’s winning putt(Image: Warren Little/Getty Images)
Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay, the former caddie of Phil Mickelson, demonstrated his deep respect for fellow caddies by giving JJ Spaun’s a memorable gift following his incredible victory at the US Open. Mackay parted ways with Mickelson in 2017 after 25 years and now serves as a course reporter for NBC Sports.
He witnessed Spaun clinch his first major title at Oakmont on Sunday, aided by his four-year caddie partner, Mark Carens. Spaun managed to fend off the challenges of renowned golfers like Robert MacIntyre, Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton, and Sam Burns.
With Mackay observing the final group of Burns and Adam Scott, Spaun was already on his way to lifting the US Open trophy by the time they reached the last hole.
After sinking a massive 64-foot birdie putt on the 18th, Spaun surged ahead to a five-shot lead over his closest rivals, finishing the tournament with a score of 279. Traditionally, the winner’s caddie keeps the flag from the 18th hole, but Carens had left that area due to another group coming through.
Caught up in celebratory moments with Spaun, Carens missed out on collecting the flag. However, seizing the opportunity to show camaraderie, Mackay collected the flag to give it to Carens later on, reports the Mirror US.
Jim Mackay spent 25 years as Phil Mickelson’s caddie before the pair parted ways in 2017(Image: Getty Images)
Mackay explained his thoughtful gesture this week, saying: “We were 200 yards away when J.J. made his putt. That scene … I realized J.J. won the tournament and I was super happy for both of those guys. But it just occurred to me, Mark might not have access to the flag.”
After the tournament concluded with Burns and Scott, Mackay expressed his desire for Carens to have the chance to collect the flag, offering him brief commendation. “There were so many people inside the ropes, I just wanted to make sure Mark got it, or to have the option,” he said.
“As I got to scoring, he was coming out with J.J. I handed it to him, said, ‘Congrats,’ and left him alone.” Spaun’s joy quickly turned to heartfelt emotion during his post-victory press conference, where he candidly confessed his disbelief at winning at Oakmont Country Club while paying tribute to his support system.
“I never thought I would be here holding this trophy,” Spaun admitted. “I mean, I’ve always had aspirations and dreams. But a few months ago, I never knew what my ceiling was.
JJ Spaun celebrated with his wife Melody and their two daughters after winning the US Open(Image: Warren Little/Getty Images)
“I never knew how good I could be, but I’m just proud that I’ve been resilient in my career and pushed through a lot of things and just trying to be the best golfer I can be. And, you know, I’m happy to display that today at Oakmont.
“I don’t think I did keep my composure, honestly, with all the breaks I was getting. So this time I kind of leaned on that whole experience where I came back after the delay at The Players and I just kept pushing.
“I’m super fortunate to just have a good support system around me and encourage me and support me in ways that a lot of people don’t notice. So I’m just proud of how I battled, and I’m super proud to be the U.S. Open champion.”
Despite his unlikely win, Spaun is straight back in action at the Travelers Championship where he battle it out with the likes of Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler for the £2.6m prize.
