Scott Stallings’ loss appears to be Phil Mickelson‘s gain as the former’s caddie, Jon Yarbrough is expected to switch bags ahead of the 2024 Masters tournament.
Yarbrough and Stallings had been a team for much of the past decade, but without much outright success for the Worcester, Massachusetts-born golfer. Stallings – who was winless on the PGA Tour since the Farmers Insurance Open in 2014 – had qualified for the 2023 Masters, though, where he finished T26 after reaching the Tour Championship a few months earlier.
Scott Stallings and Jon Yarbrough discuss a shot at the 2022 Players Championship
(Image credit: Getty Images)
However, after missing the cut in five of his eight starts this season, Stallings looks to have waved goodbye to his caddie of 10 years.
According to Golfweek, Yarbrough will link up with Mickelson for the first time at LIV Golf Miami next weekend before carrying Lefty’s bag around Augusta National days later.
During a 20-plus-year career, Yarbrough has been on the bag of players such as Suzann Pettersen, Morgan Pressel, Bill Haas, Gary Woodland and Smylie Kaufman.
Posting a short but heartfelt message to his caddie on Instagram, Stallings said of Yarbrough: “Here’s to a great 10 years @jylooper. You made me a better player inside the ropes and a better man outside of them. Thank you for everything.”
Mickelson was briefly on the hunt for a new bagman following the news that his brother Tim would be stepping down with immediate effect on Tuesday.
Seven years Phil’s junior, Tim had looped for his brother since 2016 and watched the six-time Major winner claim the 2018 WGC-Mexico, the 2019 Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the PGA Tour as well as – most impressively of all – the 2021 PGA Championship.
In an Instagram post, 53-year-old Phil said: “I’ve had some great accomplishments in my career and getting to share them with my brother Tim has been beyond special. I’m very lucky to have had him on the bag for me the past eight years and as my brother for life.”
Despite struggling to replicate his PGA Tour form on LIV, Mickelson went on to suggest his brother’s family commitments had led to the decision for Tim to end his caddying career, rather than for form-related reasons.
Mickelson continued: “So much has changed since he was single and we started working…
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