(L) Scottie Scheffler hugs Ted Scott on the Olympics. (R) John Ellis on the Tour Championship.
Getty Photos
The Indiana Pacers’ Tyrece Haliburton went viral after the Olympics by hilariously making gentle of his lack of enjoying time throughout Workforce USA Basketball’s run to Olympic gold.
“Whenever you ain’t do nun on the group mission and nonetheless get an A,” Haliburton wrote on Twitter, together with a photograph of his gold medal.
Haliburton didn’t play any significant minutes for Workforce USA, however was nonetheless given a medal for being on the successful group.
That doesn’t occur in Olympic golf, as, for instance, Scottie Scheffler’s caddie Ted Scott, didn’t obtain something for serving to Scheffler to Olympic gold. You may argue Scott performed a complete lot extra significant minutes than Haliburton did.
Lacking medals, podium tears, brutal commutes: 6 takeaways from Olympic Golf
Scott’s fellow Workforce USA caddie, John Ellis, the looper for Wyndham Clark, desires to see that change. He says caddies for Olympic medalists ought to be getting medals too.
“I imply, it’s a part of the group, proper?” Ellis informed GOLF in an interview this previous week. “Like in basketball, some guys don’t play, you’re nonetheless a part of that group. So I’d wish to see sooner or later the caddie possibly be part of it. I do know it’s onerous as a result of then the swim coach may say they deserve it. Not that they do or don’t, however we’re truly in it. I’d wish to assume someday it may occur. However in the end, it’s about our guys and we’re simply making an attempt to assist them get a medal or play their finest golf.”
GOLF chatted with Ellis on a variety of matters to get a way of what the Olympics was like for himself and the opposite caddies.
[This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.]
GOLF: You simply got here again from the Olympics in Paris. What’s completely different from the PGA Tour?
Ellis: So far as the golf and the tournaments, it’s not an excessive amount of, but it surely was an unbelievable expertise. It truly blew me out of the water. You realize, I simply assumed it could be primarily simply one other golf match and stepping on that first tee, representing your nation and listening to the USA chants and even the opposite international locations’ chants, it simply appears a lot larger. And, you already know, it was simply so cool to be part of clearly, after we’re right here [in Memphis], you already know, you’re enjoying for your self.
GOLF: What was the dynamic like between you and the opposite Workforce USA caddies through the video games? Was there a group ambiance for you guys?
Ellis: A hundred percent. We performed our follow rounds collectively and I’ve by no means seen a lot good banter forwards and backwards and rooting for one another. It was Wyndham and Scottie every day in opposition to Xander [Schauffele] and Collin [Morikawa] and so they had nice matches. It was simply so cool to see the highest 4 People proper now, enjoying collectively, rooting for one another, competing in opposition to one another and in the end hoping USA comes again with medals. Clearly, we didn’t get a medal, however USA obtained a medal and it appeared like all of us sort of obtained a medal, proper?
GOLF: Who gained these matches between the 4 People?
Ellis: Scottie and Wyndham misplaced day one, gained day two after which the grudge match went to Wyndham and Scottie on Wednesday, so it was actually cool.
GOLF: What’s completely different for the caddies, particularly, on the Olympics versus on the PGA Tour?
Ellis: I imply possibly we work just a little extra collectively. I truly obtained sick on Tuesday after which the boys took care of me. They’re like, ‘Hey, we’ll assist Wyndham round.’ Hear, the blokes out listed here are wonderful, however you already know you’re out right here on your group and we assist one another, however you already know if you’re doing it for the Olympics, it’s like I mentioned, all of us attempt to assist one another. So the boys had been form sufficient to take care of me and if I noticed one thing on the course, I might say one thing.
GOLF: How a lot of the Video games did you get to soak up? Or was all of it enterprise?
Ellis: Thursday or Wednesday evening, JJ Jakovac, Collin Morikawa’s caddie, and I went to swimming which was an superior ambiance. We obtained to see the French man win two gold medals, break a world report. We obtained to see [Katie] Ledecky win the 1500. It was simply so electrical to be part of that. It was simply the good factor. After which Sunday evening, Wyndham, his girlfriend and I went to the 100-meter race and watched Noah Lyles win the 100-meter run and some different occasions. These two occasions had been fairly epic and Wyndham was fortunate sufficient to get us good seats. In that ambiance, I felt like I may run a 4.3 [second] 40 [yard-dash]!
GOLF: Was there something you took away from watching all of those nice athletes?
Ellis: Simply the work and dedication and all that they put in. You realize, we have now completely different tournaments week in and week out and so they put all this effort and time for the 100 meter, say for 9 seconds, for 4 years.
GOLF: You may have all these medals being given out in numerous sports activities, however in golf, there’s only one competitors and simply the golfer will get the medal. Do you assume the caddies of the medal winners must also get medals?
Ellis: I do. I imply, it’s a part of the group, proper? Like in basketball, some guys don’t play, you’re nonetheless a part of that group. So I’d wish to see sooner or later the caddie possibly be part of it. I do know it’s onerous as a result of then the swim coach may say they deserve it. Not that they do or don’t, however we’re truly in it. I’d wish to assume someday it may occur. However in the end, it’s about our guys and we’re simply making an attempt to assist them get a medal or play their finest golf.
GOLF: In golf, we often simply have a good time the winner, however we pay out your entire area. On the Olympics, we have a good time the highest three gamers, however these are the solely three who take away any prizes. How completely different is that to consider through the spherical?
Ellis: You realize, this week [in Memphis] there’s just one winner. Effectively within the Olympics there are primarily three winners. Clearly the gold is the last word. However to me, silver and bronze are primarily the identical factor. And if you happen to’re sitting on that podium, you’ve gained. I believe that’s the best way Wyndham checked out it too.
GOLF: Do you assume that’s actually been embraced?
Ellis: The ambiance, the folks, the hooting and hollering, the best way the blokes confirmed their emotion, the nerves that some guys present, you may inform it meant quite a bit. It needs to be embraced to any extent further. Everybody’s going to wish to make LA [2028] simply due to that.
Saxx underwear
GOLF: Altering matters a bit, that is 12 months two for Saxx’s sponsorship deal with a number of Tour caddies and 12 months one for you, they gave you some stars and stripes underwear for the Olympics, do you will have a method for if you break them out? Are they only for U.S. holidays?
Ellis: No! They’re within the common rotation now. I freaking love these ones. I get reminded of the Olympics each time I put it on. I really feel like we dwell in one of the best nation on the earth, however the Olympics goes to go down as one of many coolest experiences of my life, it doesn’t matter what occurs. And, anytime I get to throw on the Olympic underwear, I’m dialed.
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GOLF: Did you ever assume whilst you had been teaching at Oregon, ‘Hey, someday I’m gonna mannequin underwear whereas caddying for the most effective gamers on the earth’?
Ellis: No, in no way. Wyndham all the time jokes, and clearly, Wyndham is a fairly handsome man and his agent does properly with the women and between the three of us, he jokes each time he sees one in every of them, ‘God, who would of considered the three of us, you’ll be the underwear mannequin?’ I used to be like, ‘I’ll eat your coronary heart out, child. Someday you’ll get there.’
GOLF: There’s solely been a handful of caddie sponsorships earlier than this, what do you assume the enchantment is now?
Ellis: I believe it’s good. The caddies are often among the extra outspoken on Tour and I believe it’s been superior for us, however then even among the manufacturers. We get to point out another personalities and the businesses get to have extra enjoyable with us than possibly among the gamers as a result of they’re severe and might’t do among the obligations that we will do.
