Tommy Fleetwood had himself quite the weekend at the Masters. Rounds of 72-71-72-69 were good enough for a T3 finish, and a cool $1.04 million — Fleetwood’s best result ever at Augusta National.
But there’s more to Fleetwood’s performance than first meets the eye, because, like most things associated with the iconic tournament, there’s a pretty unique story that comes with it.
When the 33-year-old’s usual caddie, Ian Finnis, had to miss the event after falling ill, Fleetwood decided to give a local looper named Gray Moore the opportunity to carry his bag this Masters.
Moore is no stranger to Augusta National, as the 70-year-old has more than 30 years of experience as a looper at the property. Who better than him to be Fleetwood’s guide all weekend?
Little did Moore know that Fleetwood’s decision would lead to such an enormous payday after the Fleetwood’s strong showing at the Masters.
While the exact payout isn’t known, many players traditionally give eight percent of their earnings to their caddies, and often bump up to 10 percent for a win. So when you crunch the math on $1.04 million, that equates to at least $83,200 for Moore — a pretty nice annual salary for many, and Moore earned that in one week!
Following the impressive result together, Fleetwood was asked about his experience with Moore on the bag. Naturally, he praised his caddie, and briefly touched on their relationship.
“I’ve known Gray since I first came to Augusta and I asked him to caddie this week,” Fleetwood said. “It’s been absolutely amazing, and I’ve loved spending time with him on the golf course this week.
“I always enjoy seeing him and spending time with him at Augusta every time the Masters comes around, but actually being out with him was a real treat. I just hope he’s had as good a time as I have, with me as I have with him this week. It’s been great.”
Given Moore’s experience at Augusta National, there are few people on the planet who know the course better than him. So kudos to Fleetwood for tapping into his knowledge and using it to his benefit.
While Moore had previously worked as a looper at the Masters — once as a fill-in for Tom Watson in 2004, as well as for some amateur qualifiers — this past week on Fleetwood’s bag is one that will be tough to beat.
