Phil Mickelson’s behaviour in Masters car park caught his own caddie by surprise

Phil Mickelson won the first of his three Masters titles in 2004, with his caddie Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay sharing a touching moment he had away from the patrons

Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay, the former caddie of golf legend Phil Mickelson, has shared a poignant memory from the 2004 Masters, revealing an intimate moment between Mickelson and the Augusta National locker room staff after his first victory at the prestigious tournament.

Mickelson’s triumph 21 years ago marked the beginning of his legacy as a Masters champion, securing his place in the exclusive champions’ locker room alongside the sport’s elite. The win was one of three Masters titles he clinched with Mackay by his side during the zenith of his career.

Away from the public gaze, Mackay recounted a heartfelt incident that unfolded on that victorious Sunday evening, long after the crowds had dispersed.

Mackay reminisced to No Laying Up about the aftermath of the win: “There we are, he’s won the Masters, it’s 6:30 on a Sunday evening and I don’t see this guy for like three or four hours,” adding, “So I’m sitting in this parking lot or near it outside the Augusta National clubhouse and it must have been 10 o’clock.

I look out to his car, and I see some figures. It’s pitch dark out there, and it’s Phil and these two or three other people around him. So I walk up there to kind of help with packing the bag, and as I walk up to him, I see these guys are hugging Phil.

“They’re not just hugging him, it’s like an emotional hug…I’m like, ‘Man, who are these guys hugging Phil?’ It turns out these are the guys that work in the lower locker room at Augusta National (that) Phil’s been tipping all these years and taking such good care of.