Justin Thomas is skipping the PGA Tour’s Mexico Open this week but his caddie, Jim “Bones” Mackay, will be busy doing a first for TV.
Mackay will serve as the lead analyst for NBC Sports on the telecast of the Tour event South of the border, the first time an active caddie has ever filled that role.
NBC Sports parted ways with Paul Azinger late last year as his contract was set to expire at the end of the season and the network has been rotating voices ever since. PGA Tour pro Kevin Kisner, who handled duties at The Sentry and WM Phoenix Open, former European Ryder Cup captain and SkySports/Golf Channel commentator Paul McGinley did so at the Hero World Challenge, Curt Byrum took a spin at the Sony Open in Hawaii, and Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee worked The American Express, all taking turns as the lead analyst during NBC telecasts.
Mackay, though, isn’t interested in the full-time job and made it clear, via an NBC spokesman, that his upcoming TV appearance shouldn’t be interpreted as him throwing his hat in the ring for the job. (Efforts to reach Mackay for comment were unsuccessful before publication of this story.) With Thomas taking the week off after playing four of the last five events on Tour, Mackay is available but he’s devoted to caddying for Thomas, who he has worked for since returning to caddying full-time in 2022. He was on the bag for Thomas when he won the 2022 PGA Championship and most recently this week at the Genesis Championship, where Thomas missed the cut.
Caddie Jim Mackay at the 2024 Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California. (Photo: Harry How/Getty Images)
Mackay spent a stretch of 25 years as caddie for Phil Mickelson before joining NBC in 2017 as an on-course reporter and quickly becoming one of the best in the business in that role. Mackay has continued to dabble in doing TV for NBC when Thomas has been off, including for the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship last year.
A spokesman for NBC Sports said that Mackay will walk as an on-course reporter on Thursday and be part of a three-man booth for the remaining three rounds with veteran pro Brad Faxon, and Steve Sands and Dan Hicks rotating as host.
The Mexico Open marks the first of seven straight weeks that NBC will broadcast PGA Tour events, including the Players Championship. NBC is mum about who else might get an opportunity as it tries out different voices and take time in selecting a permanent replacement. Tune in next week to find out who will be next to get a spin in the big chair.