For Jason McDede, golf is not just a job, but a family affair. As a caddie for Nelly Korda and husband to LPGA player Caroline Masson, his life is a balancing act. But as their family prepared to welcome a new addition, McDede found himself torn between his professional commitments and his personal life. What happened next was heartwarming and turned him upside down in a way he never saw coming. 

The caddie-golfer couple had meticulously planned every detail, from the nursery to the golf calendar. However, they knew the schedule with Nelly Korda would take him away from home for stretches, but they were determined to make it work. Caroline Masson scheduled her C-section around Korda’s golf calendar, ensuring Jason could be there for the birth. Little did he know, their plans were about to change in an instant.

It was April 2023, when McDede was giving his duties at the JM Eagle LA Championship, and Masson started feeling a bit uncomfortable. She went to the hospital to get it checked and then was sent back home and asked to rest, only to return to the hospital the very same night. After the first false alarm, McDede and Masson decided that he should stay in LA only and finish the job. But as the baby’s arrival became evident, Looper’s plan changed too.

As soon as he got the news, he raced to the airport, and after returning his rental car at LAX, he got the surprise of a lifetime and a story too that the McDede-Masson family would cherish for a lifetime. McDede remembered the day and told LPGA Tour, “I hopped in my car at three o’clock in the morning. I dropped the car off, waited for the shuttle bus, and all of a sudden, here are pictures of Benton from my mom, already born.” 

“The C-section already had happened and in the blink of an eye, he was in the world. I’ll never forget. I booked a flight direct back to Orlando, and I had just sent Nelly a picture of Benton, obviously born. This was on the plane, and she just wrote me back, ‘Congratulations! I hope you’re on a plane, right?’” continued Jason.

Although the looper couldn’t make it in time due to the aforementioned circumstances, his son is already making up for it.

Traveling in diapers: The adventurous first year of Nelly Korda’s caddie’s son

By the tender age of 15 months, Benton had already accompanied his parents on numerous cross-country flights, international trips, and golf tournaments. From the sun-kissed fairways of California to the historic courses of Scotland, Benton’s early life has been a whirlwind tour of new experiences and exciting destinations.

Consequently, his travels have also taken him to the prestigious Solheim Cup in Spain. Moreover, he stole the show with his adorable smile at the 2023 Amundi Evian Championship. As he is growing up, it seems he’s become a regular on the LPGA Tour. This season, he witnessed Nelly Korda and his father’s six incredible wins. Additionally, the remarkable haul of five consecutive victories left the golf world buzzing.

Jason was grateful to have his son, and wife be there and witness the Chevron Championship victory, and said, “For me, anytime you get to share success in front of your loved ones, I think it means a little bit more because I think that’s why you do it. That’s why you work so hard, and you sacrifice so much is because you do it for your family. So being able to have Ben and Caro watch, it is so cool.”

Though Nelly Korda’s caddie, Jason McDede, may have missed the moment Benton arrived, he’s making up for lost time. What’s your take on this delicate but heartwarming story? Let us know in the comments section below.