Brooks Koepka has a long-running partnership with his caddie, Rickie Elliot. The Northern Irishman has been in the LIV Golf Pro’s bag since 2013. It has a relationship that has paid well for the duo. Elliot is now the most successful Irish caddie, after Koepka’s 2023 PGA Championship victory. 

The experienced bagman believes the job of a caddie is to understand their employers. “These guys can all play golf; it’s your relationship with the boss.” Like most bagmen, Elliot, too, harbored a dream of becoming a PGA Tour Pro. He was well on his way. But in early 2000, he hung up his career path, which eventually landed him where he is now. 

Ricky Elliot was an amateur champion

Elliot grew up in an environment surrounded by golfers. He is a good friend of Graeme McDowell, Koepka’s LIV Golf peer. As an amateur, Elliot won the Irish Under 18 Boys Amateur Open, the Ulster Boys Championship, the Ulster Under 21 Open Championship, and the Ulster Junior Championship. Elliot has also represented Ireland at the 1990 European Youths Championship. 

With hopes of making it bigger, the Northern Irishman traveled across the Atlantic. Elliot played in the mini Tours, but caddying seemed to draw him more after his luck ran through. Elliot joked that caddying is much easier because “instead of getting mad at yourself, you can get mad at them.”

Elliot started looping for Maarten Lafeber in 2003 and then was on Ben Curtis’s bag. After that, the Northern Irishman paired with Brooks Koepka in 2013. Koepka, at that time, was still a promising young talent, quite a few years away from his most dominant run. But together, they reached the peak quite soon.

Elliot and Koepka share a strong bond

It’s a decade-long partnership that has paid dividends for both. Koepka has won all nine titles, including five majors, with Ricky Elliot in his bag. Elliot thinks the five-time Major winner has a Woods-like similarity—his mind is a fortress. Perhaps, that offers some hint as to why Koepka has an impeccable track record at the Majors. 

The 33-year-old has 17 top-10s across all the majors from his 36 appearances. After Koepka’s 2018 US Open triumph, Elliot said, “He takes a huge responsibility in what he’s doing out there. Makes my job very easy.” In a more recent interview with LIV Golf, Elliot said, “He and I are best mates really. He is an easy boss. He doesn’t give me too much hassle on the course. ”

Elliot revealed they had vacationed together as well when they were in the Far East. Elliot admitted things changed a bit when Koepka came back to America. While they were on the road, the former US Open champion was playing more in Europe. That cemented their bond, the veteran caddie feels. The bond was tested once when both were embroiled in a controversial decision. 

Was Rickie Elliot at fault at the 2023 Masters?

At last year’s Masters, Brooks Koepka, Gary Woodland, and Danny Willet were paired together. After Koepka hit his 5-iron on the par-5, 15th, Elliot seemed to be mouthing the word ‘five’ to Woodland’s caddie. Per rule 10-2a, a player cannot divulge information to anyone who is also part of the competition. By extension, a caddie is denied that privilege as well. 

Now, Paul McGinley, a former pro and analyst, has revealed that it’s fairly common practice. But they were ushered to the clubhouse, with rules officials playing the clip to clarify the matter. Shortly afterward, Augusta National revealed that all the parties involved denied any wrongdoing. 

The five-time Major winner defended his caddie in the post-round press conference. Koepka revealed that Woodland’s caddie didn’t know what club he used. “They didn’t even know because—II know that fact because GW asked me what we hit walking off when we were walking down. So that’s all I can give you.”

While that died down soon, Elliot was involved in another controversy at last year’s Ryder Cup. Rory McIlroy’s on-course bust-up with Patrick Cantlay’s caddie, Joe LaCava, spilled over to outside the ropes. Apparently, the Northern Irishman wanted to storm the US dressing room but was stopped by his teammates. However, in the hotel, Elliot came across the four-time Major winner and was at the receiving end as well. Fred Couples later revealed that Elliot told him that Rory McIlroy “’went at me in the middle of the foyer at the hotel.‘

Things didn’t go very far, fortunately. And McIlroy, too, later apologized. Koepka chose not to get involved in the matter. But he later said, “He’s a great dude. He was a groomsman in my wedding. He’s one of my best friends… I think the ideal caddie is just knowing what your player is going to do before they even do it. He can sense if I’m tense, if I’m a little too relaxed, if I’m pissed off if I’m kind of lackadaisical”

Even after his fifth major win, which solidified his chances for the Ryder Cup, Koepka said Elliot doesn’t get the credit he deserves. His contribution is way more than what meets the eye.

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