A golfer-caddie relationship is very special. It is built not only on a sense of professional companionship, but understanding and trust. It is a special kind of partnership that helps the player thrive in the competitive world of Pro golf. Many golfer-caddie relationships turn into friendship, much like Xander Schauffele and Austin Kaiser. Sadly, not everyone is that lucky. 

For former Rookie of the Year Sungjae Im, it has been a herculean task to settle with a caddie long-term. Although he came very close once or twice, he had to switch again. Let’s get to know the bagmen behind one of the top 30 players on the OWGR. 

Sungjae Im’s frantic caddie partnerships 

The Pro golfer arrived in the States with a web.com tour card and a will to take on the golf world by storm. However, his difficulty with communicating in English with his peers and his bagmen posed quite a conundrum. He went through many caddies, including Jon Rahm’s college buddy Ki Taek Lee, Dustin Johnson’s former caddie Bobby Brown, and William Spencer who has 20 years of expertise in carrying the bag for golf pros. 

Despite the shuffle and his innate skills with the clubs, the South Korean golfer was having a hard time on the course. That was till he was paired with a young, aspiring golfer with similar dreams who could lower the language barrier for him. Im, who was climbing to the top of the money list, met Albin Choi who was striving through the Korn Ferry Tour to earn his way into the PGA Tournaments. Choi made him feel comfortable and they exchanged numbers, thus initiating a friendship that saw them both through their tough times.

Later, they paired up for a one-off caddie-golfer partnership for WGC, and turned it onto a long-time gig during the pandemic. Although he wished to work with his hyung long time, with Choi’s wish to turn pro himself, Im had to switch back to the caddies he had worked with before. In 2023 at the Genesis Invitational, he paired with Robert Brown again, and at the PGA Championship, he moved on to play with Lance Bennett by his side. 

Bennett’s life as a prolific caddie 

Lance Bennett has extensive experience on the caddie circuit and his long-term partnership with Matt Kuchar is a testament to his skills. Kuchar and Bennett worked together for almost ten years since he picked up the bag for the American pro golfer back in 2006.

The caddie from Virginia has been on the circuit closing in on 20 years now. His long stint as bagman included ferrying for former LPGA star Lorena Ochoa, two current LPGA golfers Paula Creamer and Juli Inkster, 2011 FedEx Cup winner Bill Haas, PGA Tour Pro Davis Riley, and of course, his decade-long accomplishment alongside Matt Kuchar. 

Bennett assisted Riley’s progress into the PGA Tour and guided him for a long time with his immense experience. In 2023, during the PGA Championship at TPC Sawgrass, the experienced bagman picked up the clubs for the South Korean prodigy and helped him out. 

Even though the duo missed the cut they continued their partnership into the Masters 2023 where the duo made it into T16.

Bennett and Im had a good run for a while but the partnership wasn’t a long-term arrangement.

Sungjae Im’s search for the perfect caddie leads him to another experienced bagman 

Although the former Rookie of the Year has been on a beautiful journey, his caddie relations seem to be on troubled waters. After a successful few events with Lance Bennett, the South Korean golfer started working with Willy Wilcox during the Traveler’s Championship. 

Wilcox is a former PGA Tour Pro with intense experience in the field. After he retired from professional tournaments, he decided to become a caddie full-time. In the past couple of years, the former pro golfer has caddied for several of his peers from his PGA Tour days. 

Since partnering with Sungjae Im at the Traveler’s Championship 2023, the duo finished in T29 while Keegan Bradley claimed the title. They partnered up again for the Rocket Mortgage Classic 2023 and achieved T24 at the Detroit Golf Club. 

Even though they haven’t clinched a title yet, working with the former pro golfer seems good for Im. Wilcox shared an X of his journey to Minnesota for the 3M Open with a hilarious image. 

Whether or not Willy Wilcox and Sungjae Im’s partnership ends up being ‘the one’ is yet to be determined. Sure, the South Korean golfer has gone through a lot of caddies, searching for the perfect fit. He is in need of someone who not only helps him with the bag but also with his peer relations. 

What do you think of Sungjae Im’s constantly changing caddie dynamics? Who do you think was the best partner for him on the golf course? Share your thoughts and opinions with us in the comments below. 

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