Who Is Jin Young Ko’s Caddie? All You Need to Know About Their 5-Year-Old Partnership

Jin Young Ko is a South Korean golfer who holds the record for most weeks spent as No.1 on the Rolex World Ranking by any LPGA Golfer. She is a bold and fearless golfer who attacks the pin each time but this attack is not planned alone. Driving this attacking force is her partner who walks the miles alongside her, her caddy David Brooker.

Ko’s remarkable career is marked by her resilience, aided by caddy David Brooker, and her ability to overcome adversity. He continues to be by her side, guiding her and aiding her in everything from club selection to putting lines. The relationship between the duo is truly special and commendable.

Who is David Brooker?

A lean white white-haired tall guy carrying around a heavy golf bag on his shoulders is the picture of David Brooker that comes to mind. Brooker has two hobbies and ambitions in life, first is to help people make some money on the golf course and second is to help them spend it.

He has been fulfilling his first hobby for the major part of his life as a professional caddie, working primarily on the LPGA Tour. He has been on the bag for big players like Lorena Ochoa, Suzann Pettersen, Grace Park and most recently he’s picked up the bag for Jin Young Ko.

The road to caddying was not easy, but nothing worth having in life ever comes easy. The struggles that came into his life while he was getting a divorce threw him off his game. He went down the road of finance and studied post-which he worked as a financial advisor for Wells Fargo.

The job however was more of an in-between nature before he went back to his true calling — caddying. He said in an interview, “I missed (caddying). There’s nothing that can replace the adrenaline of standing next to your player when they have a chance to win on Sunday.”

The beginning of the Ko-Brooker partnership

In the 2018 season, he finally got the chance to do what he loves, once again with Paula Creamer. While working as Paula Creamer’s caddy, Brooker frequently found himself in the same group with a young golfer from South Korea, Jin Young Ko.

During the brief interactions with her, he also once said to her: “I mentioned to her that she was a fantastic player.” The feeling was reciprocal as Ko thought of Brooker as an amazing caddie and following the season end of 2018 her agent contacted Brooker to get him on board as her caddie.

The offer was taken well by Brooker as he mentioned: “I jumped at it, I really thought she could ascend quickly.”

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Ko clinched her first two major victories at the Chevron Championship and Evian Championship, along with two additional tournament wins in the same year in 2019. This helped in securing her position as the top-ranked player in women’s golf.

This was a good season for the Ko-Brooker pairing. “The two majors are a surprise,” Brooker said. “But I knew she had the winner’s instinct. She has played so consistently – her worst finish is 29. What amazes me is her level of consistency with her long irons. When her short game is hot, she has a chance to win every week.”

Brooker notes that mental strength is a key indicator of potential world No. 1 players in golf. Ko’s competitive spirit and self-motivation are expected to help her stay at the top, especially in the highly competitive landscape of women’s golf, with several players vying for the No. 1 spot.

The player-caddy duo has always strived to be the best and will continue to do so in the future as well. Who is your favorite-caddy player duo? Let us know in the comment section below!

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