Lydia Ko could not have asked for a better start to the 2024 LPGA Tour season! The 26-year-old started with a win at the LPGAT calendar opener, the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. She is following it with a marvelous performance at the LPGA Drive-On Championship. While her choice of clubs played a huge role in this performance, the input from her caddie cannot be ignored.
That too hinges on the fact that they have not spent much time together. The New Zealand golfer abruptly changed her bagman last year. And with her winning streak this season, it is turning out to be a great decision. Let’s look at the LPGA Tour star’s new bagman, who also deserves appreciation for his work!
Meet Lydia Ko’s caddie
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Last year, Lydia Ko changed her caddie twice. This decision to abruptly change caddies confused many fans. However, she has secured two stellar performances this season, and her new caddie, Paul Cormack, had a part in that too. But the story about how she finalized her latest caddie is an interesting one.
The 26-year-old finished her 2022 season on a high note with a world number-one finish. So when she declared she was parting ways with her then-caddie, Derek Kistler, it came as a shock to many. She joined hands with David Jones, someone she had worked with previously, at the start of the 2023 season.
However, this partnership ended quite quickly, as she picked Cormack to be her bagman for the latter half of 2023. He was seen alongside Ko for the first time in September 2023 during the Kroger Queen City Championship. And he has been with Ko ever since.
Before being the bagman for the 26-year-old, Cormack was Anna Nordqvist’s caddie for four years. He also briefly became a bagman on the PGA Tour alongside Kevin Chappell. However, he soon returned to the LPGA Tour with Ko, and the two have had phenomenal success.
Read More: Is LPGA’s Money Problem Finally Resolved? Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko, and Others to Finally Enjoy Well-Deserved Financial Perks
The pair had their first win ever at the 2023 Grant Thornton Invitational, where Lydia Ko was partnered with Jason Day. This year, she won her first LPGA Tour title since 2022 by securing the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions alongside Paul Cormack. Much of this success can be credited to her bagman, who is also proficient in golf himself.
All you need to know about Paul Cormack
While Cormack has made a name for himself for being a great caddie, he is also proficient in other domains. Ko’s caddie was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, on January 18, 1984. He studied at McLennan Community College and had a brief stint as a postman and bartender.
But in 2006, Cormack decided to pursue his love for golf professionally. The Scottish bagman has played on 17 PGA Tours professionally, where he made the cut for eight of them. He officially secured $1,886 as prize money. However, it was by changing his career to being a bagman that he got the success he has now.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
View this post on Instagram
With Cormack on the bag, Nordqvist won her third major title at the 2021 AIG Women’s Open. And she thanked Cormack for her win. She said, “You have seen all my struggles, and you stayed positive when I couldn’t. Sharing this with you means more than anything, and you are the hardest-working person I have met. Paul, you are the best!!”
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
While Lydia Ko has become notorious for changing her caddie when necessary, she has earned her fair share of success with her latest bagman. And it looks like she is going to continue her partnership with Cormack for a long time as the 26-year-old prepares for her next LPGA Tour event.
Watch this Story | LPGA Icon Michelle Wie West Had Once Inadvertently Left Nelly Korda Feeling Her Worst as a Surprising Admission From 2 Years Ago Comes Into Light