Why Did Justin Thomas & Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay Split? What Is His Ex-Caddie Upto Now?

One piece of news regarding Justin Thomas came out of the blue. Before this season’s Masters, Thomas had made public his split with his caddie, Jim “Bones” Mackay. But what was the reason behind this split? To figure that out, you need to first go back to Thomas’s statement from April 2024.

Right before his Masters Tournament, the two-time major winner chose an extremely difficult option. Instead of relying on his caddie, with whom he worked for 2.5 years, the golfer decided to change his bagman from Mackey to Matt Minister.

He posted on social media, “While incredibly difficult for me to say, Bones and I have parted ways.” The 15-time PGA Tour Champion further stated, “I’m going to be forever thankful for him joining me on the bag in 2021. The things we’ve been able to accomplish together — the PGA Championship in 2022, the Presidents Cup, and the Ryder Cups were all unforgettable experiences. His wisdom on and off the course has been a blessing during a tough stretch of my career and he was there every step of the way.”

Neither of the two parties made anything official as the reason for their split. However, one is open to speculating and considering some of the key moments that preceded this decision. This included Thomas missing three out of four cuts in the 2023 majors. Fans might wish to entertain the idea that Thomas needed a change starting his 2024 major season, but it seems that nothing good came out of it either, as the golfer missed the cut in the 2024 Masters and the US Open.

Nonetheless, the golfer wished Mackey the best for his future. He wrote, “I know there are great things coming for both of us down the road. I wish him the best of luck and will always count him and his family amongst my friends.” But what is Jim “Bones” Mackay up to these days? Has he changed his career from then on?

Jim “Bones” Mackay’s present profession

Before joining Thomas, Jim “Bones” Mackay previously caddied for the 6-time major Champion, Phil Mickelson, for 25 years. However, he had yet another professional experience. Mackay joined as a broadcaster, making his debut at the 2015 RSM Classic, where another caddie, John Wood, has been with him. According to Golf.com, “Almost immediately after splitting with Mickelson, Mackay was hired as a full-time on-course reporter for NBC and Golf Channel. He worked as a fill-in caddie for Justin Thomas on two occasions before Thomas hired him as a full-time bagman in 2021.”

At present, the former caddie has shifted his career back into broadcasting. He is now a full-time broadcaster, working for the NBC/Golf Channel. He had never been out of touch since he made his debut. During his tenure with Thomas, Mackay was still seen broadcasting at tournaments such as the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship.

The former bagman reported, “Television is my No. 1 priority and I’ll do what I did before — if someone is sick or between caddies and needs a guy for a week and it’s not an NBC event, then I’d be happy to help out.” Mackay had further added that this would be his means of earning bread. He said, “But beyond that, I will be doing TV primarily as far as what I do for a living.”

Are you waiting to see this veteran caddie on the greens again? Let us know in the comments below.