Swedish golfer Alex Noren is leading at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, shooting 4-under 67 with a one-shot lead over Camilo Villegas. Accompanying Noren on the greens and providing valuable advice on the course is his experienced bagman, Mark Crane. The Scottish caddie has been on the job for almost two decades.

Crane brings in a wealth of experience that includes Ryder Cup experience on both sides of the Atlantic. After caddying for Taylor Hatton and Chris Wood, the Scotsman paired up with the Swede. As we move to the fourth and final round of the event, here is everything you need to know about the man who is helping Norman on his way to his first PGA Tour victory.

When did Mark Crane start caddying?

Crane started caddying way back in 2004, at the young age of 13. But it was not his first choice. His brother used to caddy at the Prestwick Golf Club in his hometown, Ayrshire. However, on a day when his brother couldn’t get into the greens for some work, Crane stepped up.

He picked up the job pretty quickly. At the Home Internationals organized by R&A in Prestwick that year, the young caddie got his breakthrough. He was carrying the bag for Llyod Saltman, himself a 19-year-old amateur at the time. But golf was not the first thing on his mind even then.

Alex Noren’s bagman is a huge soccer fan

Born and brought up in Ayrshire, Crane caught the soccer fever quite early in his life. He is a huge Glasgow Rangers fan. So, how did golf come into the equation?

Well, pocket money. Crane started caddying to earn some quick bucks. He was getting paid £30 ($36) for cadding 12 holes. Moreover, he was getting £14 ($17) to do some paper rounds every morning. It was just that he had to wake up at 6, but that was not a problem for the young kid. By his own admission to Bunkered, it was a “no-brainer.”

However, Crane thought of becoming a professional caddie only after his compatriot, Richie Ramsay, gave him the chance to loop for him. Almost a decade later, Crane is still grateful for the opportunity. Quickly, he became a familiar name in the greens. Although if you asked anyone about the caddie who now rides with Alex Noren, they would perhaps know him by a famous nickname.

Crane was a ‘Punk’ rocker?

On both sides of the Atlantic, Crane is better known as Punk. Why? The story dates back to his early days. He had a bit of punk rocker hairstyle while looping for amateurs in Scotland. One of his friends popularized this nickname.

When Crane was looping for Saltman during one round, the Scottish golfer couldn’t remember his caddie’s name. He asked William, a friend of Crane. But instead of giving up his real name, William asked Saltman to call him ‘Punk.’ The name has stuck with him since then. A decade later, the Ayrshire native has embraced the name. Go check his X profile if you don’t believe us. 

Crane’s long career as a caddie

In the early days, Crane helped Saltman win the silver medal at the 2005 Open Championship. After caddying for both Saltman and Ramsay, the Scottish caddie linked up with British pro David Dixon and then with David Horsey. This was followed by a brief stint with now-LIV Golf Pro Paul Casey.

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After those brief spells, there was a long-term partnership with English golfer Chris Wood. With Wood, Crane has had his most successful time so far. The Scottish golfer helped Woods bag his third European Tour victory. This was also the time when the English golfer was selected for the 2016 European Ryder Cup squad. With that came Alex Noren’s current caddie’s first experience of Ryder Cup thrills.

Although his Hazeltine outing didn’t go as planned, as Europe failed to retain their trophy, he tasted victory on his second outing two years later. At Le Golf, though, he was caddying for another Englishman, Tyler Hatton. The six-time DP World Tour winner, known for his fiery temper on the greens, found an ideal match in Crane, whose calm and composed demeanor often saved the day for the Englishman. And that’s what he believes the job of a caddie is.

Alex Noren’s caddie has one mantra

What does a normal day in his life look like? Checking the weather beforehand to decide the clubs for his golfer is the first thing he does. This is followed by an early visit to the course.

With a small notebook in hand, he notes down points while walking down the courses. These are points you can fall back on if the golfer is struggling. “I reckon 90% of the time they know what they’re doing. We’re just there for when they’re struggling.”

Although it’s not clear when Alex Noren picked the Scotsman as his caddie, the two have synced up pretty well. A win here will only strengthen their partnership.

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