CHARLOTTE, NC — Joe Lacava, who helped Tiger Woods win his last major championship at the 2019 Masters Tournament, is moving into Patrick Cantlay’s briefcase for the foreseeable future.
Woods’ longtime agent Mark Steinberg told ESPN at the Quail Hollow Club on Tuesday that LaCava called Woods to get his blessing before making the decision.
“Joe called the tiger to ask him for approval,” Steinberg said. “Of course, Tiger gave it to her. Tiger and Joe are like brothers, great friends. You shouldn’t read anything else than Joe Wants to Carry Cans. He loves it. It’s his passion. He’s great at it and one of the best.”
Woods, 47, announced on April 19 that he had undergone surgery to fuse the bones in his right ankle to treat post-traumatic arthritis caused by injuries sustained in a car wreck in February 2021. The 15-time major champion said the fusion is under the heel. Performed by Dr. Martin O’Malley at HSS Sports Medicine Institute in New York.
Woods had previously said his hope going forward would be to play in golf’s four major tournaments. There are three remaining this year — the PGA Championship (May 18-21), the US Open (June 15-18) and The Open (July 20-23) — and given the typical recovery time for such a procedure, recent surgery suggests it’s likely that The 2023 season is completed.
There is no schedule for Woods’ golf recovery, Steinberg told ESPN on Tuesday. He said his client was resting and recovering.
LaCava spent 20 years in the Fred Couples bag and worked with Dustin Johnson for four years. Woods hired LaCava in 2011 after her split from longtime caddy Steve Williams.
“Tiger has said over and over that he will play a very limited schedule around the majors, his events, father and son, assuming everything goes well with rehab and recovery,” Steinberg said. “Joe wants to work, and so I think Tiger’s got that. We’re moving forward now.”
LaCava replaces Matt Minister, Cantlay’s charioteer since 2017. Cantlay, fourth in the world, is an eight-time winner on the PGA Tour and is bidding to win his first major championship.