Greg Bodine’s hands shook, and his voice quivered. A cluster of his bottom eyelashes briefly held a teardrop before it rolled down his cheek and onto his caddie bib.
Bryson DeChambeau — Bodine’s employer for the past 13 months — had just clinched his second U.S. Open victory. Bodine had become a caddie with a major championship under his belt. Emotions ran high as the 36-year-old answered queries from a small group of reporters on Pinehurst’s 18th green, with DeChambeau accepting his trophy.
DeChambeau hoisted the trophy above his head. Which club did Bryson use for that winning bunker shot? The crowd roared. Did you have any words for him before the round? DeChambeau basked in his victory. How did Bryson elevate his game to this level?
Typical questions asked of every caddie whose player has just won a major. Then came the query, “How do you feel?”
Bodine took a deep breath. He lowered his head, gazing at the putting green where the group was standing. After a pause, he said, “So, there’s a backstory.” Memories from 13 months ago flooded back to the day DeChambeau hired him. Tears now flowed freely.
“The day Bryson called,” Bodine began, “My wife and I found out about her miscarriage. We were actually at the hospital when Bryson called me.”
Caddying never felt like just a job to Bodine.
Having played competitive golf growing up, he had already set his sights on being a caddie for his cousin, Andrew Putnam, a promising young golfer in Seattle when he turned pro. That dream became reality and then blossomed into a career. In 2014, two years after first caddying for Putnam at PGA Tour Q-School, Bodine, known as “G-Bo” on tour, took on Tony Finau as a rookie.
He stuck with the six-time tour winner for almost seven years, witnessing Finau’s rise to the top 10 in the world before parting ways in 2020 due to lack of success. With a young family at home — his sons, Brooks and Parker, aged 3 and 1 at the time, respectively, and a busy wife, Kelsey — Bodine needed a change. Finau’s frequent tournaments no longer made the job viable. It was time for Bodine to reconsider his priorities and return home.
The @nelkboys turned Bryson’s own caddie against him… pic.twitter.com/qlpJclTVLM
— Crushers GC (@Crushers_GC) February 19, 2024
After a brief stint caddying for Patrick Rodgers, Bodine found his calling back in Kirkland, Washington, where he pursued a new venture. In March 2021, he returned to his pre-caddying life, focusing on family and launching an indoor golf facility named Evergreen Golf Club. Bodine used a portion of his caddie earnings to kickstart the business, securing investors like his co-founder, former Seahawks player Jermaine Kearse. By winter 2022, the company was up and running.
“I had offers to return to caddying on the PGA Tour and LIV,” Bodine explains. “But I was committed to getting Evergreen off the ground.”
Once the business was stable, Bodine could devote his full attention to his main motivation for leaving the tour: his family. Kelsey was expecting their third child.
“One thing we were looking forward to back home was expanding our family and starting a new chapter,” Bodine shares. “My wife was pregnant, in her second trimester. We had told a few people and were close to knowing the gender.”
One evening in early May 2023, Kelsey sensed something was amiss with the baby. They immediately scheduled an appointment for the next day, but before leaving for the hospital, Bodine received an unexpected call from Brett Falkhoff, DeChambeau’s agent.
“Bryson is considering a caddie change, and he’s interested in your availability,” Falkhoff informed him. “Is it okay if he gives you a call?”
Without much thought, Bodine agreed. DeChambeau’s game had been struggling on the LIV tour, and Falkoff described it as being at “rock bottom”. Although surprised by the inquiry, Bodine had always gotten along well with DeChambeau. But amidst the chaos of their personal life, the call quickly slipped his mind.
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Despite the whirlwind of emotions, Bodine couldn’t focus on caddying. When Kelsey experienced complications the next day, the stress and worry piled on. Amidst it all, he received another call from DeChambeau.
“I decided not to mention what was happening. He probably just assumed I was at work or home,” Bodine reflects.
After a brief chat, they agreed to reconnect later in the day. Bodine revealed nothing about his family’s situation or emotional turmoil.
As the day unfolded, the results painted a grim picture — the Bodines’ worst fears were realized.
“Can you be in Tulsa in four days?” DeChambeau asked casually over the phone that evening.
Bodine was taken aback. He had entertained the call without expecting an immediate job offer, let alone one starting in just four days — four days after the tragic miscarriage. Thoughts tumbled in his mind, mirroring Kelsey’s turmoil.
“Can I have a day to think about it?”
Unable to make the decision alone, the couple sought support from family, friends, and mentors. A short trip was planned with the addition of their parents, ensuring their kids were part of the journey. The unexpected turn of events seemed worth a shot.
Thirteen birdies.
With Bodine by his side, DeChambeau made history by shooting an incredible 58 in the rain during the final round of the LIV Greenbrier event. As DeChambeau celebrated his first LIV win, Bodine stood nearby, filled with disbelief and relief.
The journey, marked by ups and downs, signified Bodine’s ability to weather the storm and trust the process. Amidst grief and heartache, he found solace in the decision to return to caddying and embrace the challenges that came his way.
“It’s been a battle,” Bodine acknowledges. “But I knew I was there for a reason. I knew that’s where I was supposed to be.”
(Top photo of Bryson DeChambeau, left, and Greg Bodine: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)