Tiger Woods has chosen Rob McNamara, a vice president of his company TGR Ventures and a longtime friend, to be his caddie for the Hero World Challenge, following his split with former caddie Joe LaCava.
At Glance
‣ Tiger Woods has chosen Rob McNamara to be his caddie at the Hero World Challenge, following the split with his long-time caddie, Joe LaCava.
‣ Rob McNamara is a vice president of Woods’ company TGR Ventures and has a long-standing relationship with Woods, going back to their junior golf days in Southern California.
‣ McNamara has been instrumental in helping Woods with his swing since he parted ways with his most recent coach, Chris Como, in 2017.
‣ Despite his injuries, Woods has enjoyed some success since McNamara assumed responsibility for his swing, including a win at the 2019 Masters.
.@TigerWoods hasn’t had an official coach since 2017, but his lifelong friend and Team Tiger member Rob McNamara knows his swing better than anyone and serves as a trusted second set of eyes.
— GOLFTV (@GOLFTV)
Tiger Woods’ return to competitive action has been eagerly anticipated. After ankle surgery, the buzz was all about who he’d have on the bag at the Hero World Challenge.
In his last appearance at The Masters at Augusta National, Joe LaCava, his caddie since 2011, was by his side. But things changed the next month. LaCava teamed up with Patrick Cantlay, leaving a vacancy in Woods’ team.
Enter Rob McNamara. But who’s this guy, you ask? McNamara is part of Woods’ inner circle, holding a VP position at Woods’ company, TGR Ventures. But their relationship isn’t just business. They’ve been buddies for years, bonding over golf in their younger days in Southern California.
McNamara isn’t just a suit, though. He’s got game. In a 2017 interview with GOLFTV, Woods said, “I mean he knows my game. One, he’s a good player. Two, he’s got a good eye and he has seen me go through changes and iterations in the game of golf.”
But it’s not just about the past. Woods added, “I try and use Rob for what I’m trying to work on now, because right now it’s different, because I’m limited what I can do, and not only am I limited in what I can do, I’m limited in how much I can practice.”
Who Is Rob McNamara? Well, he’s been Woods’ unofficial coach since 2017. He’s been a second set of eyes, helping Woods with his swing after parting ways with his most recent coach, Chris Como.
Woods’ career has been a rollercoaster, with injuries and a year-long layoff after a 2021 car accident. But even with the ups and downs, there’s been success. With McNamara’s help, Woods finished runner-up in the 2018 PGA Championship, won the Tour Championship that year, and pulled off a fairytale win at the 2019 Masters.
But McNamara’s time on the bag might be short-lived. Woods said, “I’ve got Rob this week, he’s seen me hit a few shots. As far as next year, I don’t know yet. I don’t think Charlie’s going to be able to caddie. Can’t play hooky that often. I don’t know.”
For now, McNamara is Woods’ caddie at the Albany tournament. He’s proving to be more than just a trusted associate. He’s versatile, too.
