They parted ways in 1999 due to multiple issues, one of them being that Fluff had revealed their financial agreement to
However, according to The Washington Post, Cowan was fired by Woods because of a 1999 Golf Magazine interview in which he publicly revealed his salary ($1,000 a week and bonuses up to 10 percent of Woods's winnings).
Fluff came to fame as Woods' first PGA Tour caddie and was easily recognizable because of his bushy mustache. They split in 1999. Looping for Furyk has been more profitable the last couple of years. Furyk earned nearly $8 million in 2014, while Woods made only $600,000 on the course.
While there's no denying Woods had the talent, the leadership of veteran caddie Mike “Fluff” Cowan was instrumental in Woods' success during those early days. Their partnership abruptly ended in 1999. Woods went on to win 75 more times on the PGA Tour, including 14 majors.
Fluff mainly caddied for Peter Jacobsen (1978-1996), Tiger Woods (1996-1999) and Jim Furyk (1999-present).
Caddies for professional players could make up to $3,000 per tournament, but they also receive a percentage of the player's winnings. As of 2020, the highest paid caddy in golf was Justin Thomas' assistant Jimmy Johnson, who reportedly received as many as $502,851 on that year.
A recent PGA Tour estimate had Fluff carrying in more than 1,100 tournaments, approximately 4,000 rounds and more than 30,000 miles walked, including practice rounds – equal to nearly eight times footing it across the country.
“He needed ten years for his own personal retirement and things going on in his life, and so we just split up. No big deal.”
"We've kind of had a rough month together, and it was starting to affect our relationship." He intended to make the shocking decision to save their relationship. Will went on to say: "I know guys say that when they split, but it really was.
Mike "Fluff" Cowan, once described by Tiger Woods as the best caddie in the world, will not be guiding his young master's fortunes at Augusta National next month. In a largely anticipated break-up the 51-year-old has been fired and replaced by another veteran, compatriot Steve Williams.
There were certain things Fluff said Tiger didn't like, and as a young player Tiger saw no reason to let someone else tell him what he should be doing and shouldn't. The split seemed to work out well, but would would have come of Tiger had he been under a better guided hand?
'I needed something ... that allowed me to be more stable' “I have very limited mobility now,” Woods said. “Just with the rods and plates and screws that are in my leg, I needed something different, something that allowed me to be more stable. That's what I've gone to.
It was a five-year agreement, roughly worth $100 million. The third deal was signed in 2006 for seven years, followed by the most recent deal, which is double the size of his second deal. It has been reported that his current Nike contract is $200 million.
Because of Leonard's limited schedule in 2016, Ford was given permission to also work for another PGA Tour player, Michael Thompson, when Leonard isn't competing. Currently the youngest caddie on tour at just 26 years old, Ford is only one of a few that works for two different golfers.
Mike 'Fluff' Cowan was his first caddie as a professional golfer. The duo won seven PGA Tours and the 1997 Masters tournament.
Joe LaCava has an estimated net worth of $2 million in 2023. He makes between $272,000 and $544,000 annually. However, caddies, especially those who work for famous names like Tiger Woods, earn more than that through sponsorships, partnerships, and branding.
ORLANDO — Tim Tucker thought his days as a PGA Tour caddie were over after he parted ways with his former boss, Bryson DeChambeau, abruptly on the eve of a tournament in 2021. Their split came only a few months after DeChambeau bashed his way to a win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Zalatoris suffered two herniated discs in his back during the FedExCup Playoffs last year, right after the first win of his career. This caused him to miss the final two playoff events and the entire fall swing until he played at the Sentry Tournament of Champions.
Will Zalatoris has withdrawn from the Masters due to injury, according to tournament officials. Zalatoris withdrew from the BMW Championship last season after tweaking his back.
Yes, caddies still get paid even if their player misses the cut. Typically, caddies and their players agree on their base pay for the week.
McIlroy earned a cool $18,000,000 for winning the season-long prize, with Diamond expected to have earned $1,800,000 for his role.
“It's a great honor for Black people, Black America,” said Bennett, who caddied for Tiger Woods in his first Masters in 1995. “It was great. I was glad to be a part of it and I wish everyone well and the majority of the guys have passed. There may be a couple that are still around, but it was a great time.”
At 71, Cowan is the oldest full-time caddie on the PGA Tour, but he knows he's not the dean. “Nobody has been out here longer than Pete Bender,” Cowan said.
It is Williams' first time at Augusta since the 2017 Masters, when Scott tied ninth. Williams is job-sharing the caddie duties this year with Scott's regular caddie, Greg Hearmon. Beyond this year, Williams doesn't know what the future holds. “It very well could be my last Masters.