PGA Tour caddie Ricky Romano has years of experience being on the bag for players like Ben Crane, Jason Kokrak and Aaron Wise. But it wasn’t until last year that Romano linked up with his highest-profile boss to date: World No. 24 Rickie Fowler.
While every player-caddie relationship is unique, Fowler’s starpower makes being his looper a challenge in new ways. On this week’s episode of Subpar, Romano told hosts Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz what it’s been like to be by Fowler’s side over the past year.
“Rick’s fans are amazing,” Romano said. “They’re very respectful for the most part. We go overseas and guys get a little chippy, want to take a shot at him, this and that. But for the most part, I just gotta tell ’em, be quiet, move back a little bit. Because everybody wants to get close to Rick. They want to touch him, they want to get close, which I get, I understand. Rick’s Rick.
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“But the fans are amazing and it’s so cool to be out there amongst all that, and just taking all that in,” he continued. “And really, I don’t really get to enjoy it all that much, because, like, we’re in the heat of the battle. The fans are there, and this and that, and everyone’s yellin’ and screamin’ and hootin’ and hollerin’.”
Despite all those potential distractions, Romano said that Fowler remains steadfastly respectful — a trait he’s been known for since he first burst on the PGA Tour scene.
“Rick is amazing to caddie for,” Romano said. “Just the way that he treats you, opposed to other guys I’ve worked for, who can give it to you bad. Which I understand. You’ve got to give it to somebody. You’re hitting the shots, but if it’s not you, it’s me. I get it. I totally get it. But Rick’s not like that. Rick is different.”
“He’s one of the classiest out there, there’s no doubt,” Knost remarked.
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“Without a doubt,” Romano concurred. “It’s true. The guy is such a genuinely nice, good dude. And I can say that — it’s not a made-up thing. It’s not like, people are like, he’s been grilled on this, this is how you have to act. This is Rick, this is how he acts. He just gets it. It’s very special to caddie for Rick, and I don’t take it for granted at all.”
Romano has had a front-row seat to Fowler’s resurgent play over the last year, during which he posted eight top 10s, including a win at the Rocket Mortgage and a close call at the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club.
“The thing that I believe I help Rick with, when he’s in between shots or like he’s not really sure what to hit, I know what he needs to hit,” Romano said. “I don’t read a lot of his putts, which, if I was playing and I had someone caddying for me, I’m not asking them to read my putts either. It’s such a feel thing, you’re seeing the line, this and that. That may be just me, but that’s kind of how Rick goes about it as well. I think that’s good.”
For more from Romano, including how an Instragam DM was instrumental in getting him the job with Fowler, check out the full episode below.