Tiger Woods' new caddie Joe LaCava insists it was a "no-brainer" to accept the opportunity to work for the former world number one.
Caddie had no hesistation in taking chance to work with Woods
Tiger Woods' new caddie Joe LaCava insists it was a "no-brainer" to accept the opportunity to work for the former world number one.
More than a few eyebrows were raised when LaCava opted to terminate his partnership with Dustin Johnson to take up with Woods last month.
Widely regarded as America's best young player, Johnson is ranked fifth in the world and has already amassed five wins and over $12 million after four years on the PGA Tour.
Although a 14-time major winner, Woods is without a victory in over two years since the very public implosion of his private life and this week dropped out of the world's top 50.
However, while admitting it was hard to inform Johnson of his choice, he claimed the actual decision to join Woods was an easy one and revealed he had initially approached his new boss and not vice versa.
Asked why, La Cava told reporters: "Why? Because he's Tiger Woods. Enough said. It's a no-brainer, isn't it? That's my thought. It's Tiger Woods.
"When you say was it a hard decision, it was hard in the fact Dustin was great to me.
Respect for Johnson
"Was it hard to tell him I was leaving to go to work for Tiger? Yes. Was it hard to go to work for Tiger? No.''
LaCava, who worked with Fred Couples for 15 years before joining Johnson earlier in the season, is confident he will be able to handle the extra media glare that is part and parcel of the Woods story.
Whilst accepting he himself is now likely to come in for intense scrutiny, he insists he will try to maintain a low-key approach to his new job.
"Back in the day, Fred had the biggest crowd,'' LaCava continued. "Obviously, it's bigger today because golf is bigger. But back in the day, Fred had just as big a crowd in relation to how many people were out there.
"I don't want to not talk to people anymore just because I work for Tiger. But at the same time, I want to fly under the radar.
"He's the one hitting the golf ball. I'm just caddying for him."
However, LaCava is confident that he has not paired up with a declining force, adding he was certain Woods that would shrug off his current problems to rediscover his best form in the years ahead.
"Of course, no question,'' he added. "I know he does. I'm not betting on it (the decision to join Woods).''
