Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay is back to broadcasting full-time

Longtime Tour caddie and common broadcaster Jim “Bones” Mackay is heading back to the small display for full-time broadcast work for NBC/Golf Channel, community president Sam Flood confirmed in a media convention name.

While Mackay was beforehand introduced as a part of subsequent week’s U.S. Open broadcast group in Pinehurst, his full-time return is welcome information for golf followers, who’ve loved his insights since his broadcast debut on the 2015 RSM Classic, alongside fellow caddie John Wood.

Prior to working for NBC, Mackay made a reputation for himself as top-of-the-line caddies on Tour, spending 25 years on the bag for Phil Mickelson earlier than the duo’s break up in 2017. Mickelson gained 41 PGA Tour tournaments, together with 5 main championships, with Mackay.

Almost instantly after splitting with Mickelson, Mackay was employed as a full-time on-course reporter for NBC and Golf Channel. He labored as a fill-in caddie for Justin Thomas on two events earlier than Thomas employed him as a full-time bagman in 2021.

“I love to caddie and I loved my role with NBC/Golf Channel, but it’s Justin Thomas,” Mackay told Golf Channel at the time.

Mackay’s partnership with Thomas was highlighted by Thomas’ victory on the PGA Championship in 2022 — the pair’s solely win collectively.

Mackay saved a toe within the broadcast water all through his tenure with Thomas, working tournaments just like the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. In February, on the Mexico Open at Vidanta, Mackay turned the primary energetic caddie ever to function a lead analyst.

In April, Thomas and Mackay parted methods, and it wasn’t lengthy earlier than TV got here calling as soon as extra. Does this imply Mackay, now 59, is hanging up his bib for good?

“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 told Golfweek’s Adam Schupak. “But beyond that I will be doing TV primarily as far as what I do for a living.”

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