As the golf world reacted to the latest twist in the Kuchar-David Giral Ortiz (a.k.a. El Tucan) saga on Tuesday, Twitter user Legal Hooks shared his own Kuchar-caddie story, which took place during the Web.com (then Nationwide) Tour’s Rheem Classic presented by Times Record held at Hardscrabble Country Club in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
THREAD: Time for my personal #MattKuchar caddy story. It's the 2006 Rheem Classic on what was then the Nationwide Tour. I'm a 16 y/o high school kid who is a volunteer local caddy for the tournament. I get super lucky and get picked by local legend Bryce Molder.
The first day that we're on the course, Bryce is going to play a practice round with Chez Reavie, Matt Kuchar, & a 4th who I can't remember. I do everything I can to keep up and follow the lead of the professional caddies who were in the group with the other guys. We make the turn, and the pros stop for a snack. I'm running around trying to make sure I have water in the bag and a wet towel to clean Bryce's golf ball while the players go in the clubhouse. When they come back, Bryce isn't with them b/c he had to go to the bathroom.
Chez & the 4th guy in the group hand some free ice cream to their caddies. Matt turns to me and hands me what I thought was ice cream for me. I tell him thank you very much and start to open it. He yells at me to stop like I'm about to set off a bomb. He yanks it out of my hand and stares down at me (he's about a foot taller than me at this time) and says, "No, that's for Bryce, not you" and then walks over and puts it on the bag. I sheepishly apologize and go stand by myself. After everyone hits & we start walking down 10 fairway, his caddy comes over and pats me on the back and offers me a granola bar that he had.
It was obvious that Kuch always treated people like this. The entire round Kuch didn't say a single kind word to me or act like I even existed. If this happened to me today, as an adult w/ self-confidence, then I would've spoken up for myself. But as a chubby, 5'4", 16 y/o there was no way I was going to talk back to a pro golfer. So, this is a long rant just to say that Kuch has always been a guy who demeaned and talked down to caddies. I'm sure he treats all "the help" like that. I'm glad the story about #ElTucan came out so that everyone can see it.
I'm sure this club caddie in Mayakoba had no idea what he should have been negotiating for himself and for Kuchar to say “For a guy who makes $200 a day, a $5,000 week is a really big week,” is just awful. I will now actively root against him as if he was Shooter McGavin.