The Indiana Pacers’ Tyrece Haliburton went viral after the Olympics by hilariously making gentle of his lack of taking part in time throughout Staff USA Basketball’s run to Olympic gold.
“Once you ain’t do nun on the group mission and nonetheless get an A,” Haliburton wrote on Twitter, together with a photograph of his gold medal.
Haliburton didn’t play any significant minutes for Staff USA, however was nonetheless given a medal for being on the successful workforce.
That doesn’t occur in Olympic golf, as, for instance, Scottie Scheffler’s caddie Ted Scott, didn’t obtain something for serving to Scheffler to Olympic gold. You might argue Scott performed a complete lot extra significant minutes than Haliburton did.
Lacking medals, podium tears, brutal commutes: 6 takeaways from Olympic Golf
Scott’s fellow Staff USA caddie, John Ellis, the looper for Wyndham Clark, desires to see that change. He says caddies for Olympic medals needs to be getting medals too.
“I imply, it’s a part of the workforce, proper?” Ellis advised GOLF in an interview this previous week. “Like in basketball, some guys don’t play, you’re nonetheless a part of that workforce. So I’d wish to see sooner or later the caddie perhaps be part of it. realize it’s arduous as a result of then the swim coach may say they deserve it. Not that they do or don’t, however we’re really in it. I’d wish to assume at some point it may occur. However in the end, it’s about our guys and we’re simply making an attempt to assist them get a medal or play their finest golf.”
GOLF chatted with Ellis on quite a lot of matters to get a way of what the Olympics was like for himself and the opposite caddies.
[This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.]
GOLF: You simply got here again from the Olympics in Paris. What’s totally different from the PGA Tour?
Ellis: So far as the golf and the tournaments, it’s not an excessive amount of, however it was an unbelievable expertise. It really blew me out of the water. You already know, I simply assumed it could be primarily simply one other golf match and stepping on that first tee, representing your nation and listening to the USA chants and even the opposite nations’ chants, it simply appears a lot greater. And, , it was simply so cool to be part of clearly, once we’re right here [in Memphis], , you’re taking part in for your self.
GOLF: What was the dynamic like between you and the opposite Staff USA caddies through the video games? Was there a workforce ambiance for you guys?
Ellis: 100%. We performed our follow rounds collectively and I’ve by no means seen a lot good banter forwards and backwards and rooting for one another. It was Wyndham and Scottie every day towards Xander [Schauffele] and Collin [Morikawa] they usually had nice matches. It was simply so cool to see the highest 4 People proper now, taking part in collectively, rooting for one another, competing towards one another and in the end hoping USA comes again with medals. Clearly, we didn’t get a medal, however USA received a medal and it appeared like all of us sort of received a medal, proper?
GOLF: Who received these matches between the 4 People?
Ellis: Scottie and Wyndham misplaced day one, received day two after which the grudge match went to Wyndham and Scottie on Wednesday, so it was actually cool.
GOLF: What’s totally different for the caddies, particularly, on the Olympics versus on the PGA Tour?
Ellis: I imply perhaps we work slightly extra collectively. I really received sick on Tuesday after which. And the boys took care of me. They’re like, ‘Hey, we’ll assist Wyndham round.’ Hear, the blokes out listed here are superb, however you’re out right here on your workforce and we assist one another, however whenever you’re doing it for the Olympics, it’s like I stated, all of us attempt to assist one another. So the boys have been type sufficient to take care of me and if I noticed one thing on the course, I might say one thing.
GOLF: How a lot of the video games did you get to absorb? Or was all of it enterprise?
Ellis: Thursday or Wednesday night time, JJ Jakovac, Collin Morikawa’s caddie, and I went to swimming which was an superior ambiance. We received to see the French man win two gold medals, break a world report. We received to seal a Ledecky win the 1500. It was simply so electrical to be part of that. It was simply the good factor. After which Sunday night time, Wyndham, his girlfriend and I went to the 100-meter race and watched Noah Lyles win the 100-meter run and some different occasions. These two occasions have been fairly epic and Wyndham was fortunate sufficient to get us good seats. In that ambiance, I felt like I may run a 4.3 [second] 40 [yard-dash]!
GOLF: Was there something you took away from watching all of those nice athletes?
Ellis: Simply the work and dedication and all that they put in. You already know, we’ve totally different tournaments week in and week out they usually put all this effort and time for the 100 meter, say for 9 seconds, for 4 years.
GOLF: You’ve got all these medals being given out in several sports activities, however in golf, there’s only one competitors and simply the golfer will get the medal. Do you assume the caddies of the medal winners also needs to get medals?
Ellis: I do. I imply, it’s a part of the workforce, proper? Like in basketball, some guys don’t play, you’re nonetheless a part of that workforce. So I’d wish to see sooner or later the caddie perhaps be part of it. realize it’s arduous as a result of then the swim coach may say they deserve it. Not that they do or don’t, however we’re really in it. I’d wish to assume at some point it may occur. However in the end, it’s about our guys and we’re simply making an attempt to assist them get a medal or play their finest golf.
GOLF: In golf, we often simply have fun the winner, however we pay out your complete area. On the Olympics, we have fun the highest three gamers, however these are the solely three who take away any prizes. How totally different is that to consider through the spherical?
Ellis: You already know, this week [in Memphis] there’s just one winner. Effectively within the Olympics there are primarily three winners. Clearly the gold is the last word. However to me, silver and bronze are primarily the identical factor. And should you’re sitting on that podium, you’ve received. I feel that’s the best way Wyndham checked out it too.
GOLF: Do you assume that’s actually been embraced?
Ellis: The ambiance, the individuals, the hooting and hollering, the best way the blokes confirmed their emotion, the nerves that some guys present, you may inform it meant so much. It must be embraced any further. Everybody’s going to wish to make LA [2028] simply due to that.
Saxx underwear
GOLF: Altering matters a bit, that is 12 months two for Saxx’s sponsorship deal with a number of Tour caddies and 12 months one for you, they gave you some stars and stripes underwear for the Olympics, do you may have a method for whenever you break them out? Are they simply for U.S. holidays?
Ellis: No! They’re within the common rotation now. I freaking love these ones. I get reminded of the Olympics each time I put it on. I really feel like we dwell in the very best nation on the earth, however the Olympics goes to go down as one of many coolest experiences of my life, it doesn’t matter what occurs. And, anytime I get to throw on the Olympic lingerie, I’m dialed.
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GOLF: Did you ever assume when you have been teaching at Oregon, ‘Hey, at some point I’m gonna mannequin underwear whereas caddying for top-of-the-line gamers on the earth?
Ellis: No, under no circumstances. Wyndham at all times jokes, and clearly, Wyndham is a reasonably handsome man and his agent does properly with the women and between the three of us, he jokes each time he sees one in all them, ‘God, who would of considered the three of us, you’d be the underwear mannequin?’ I used to be like, ‘I’ll eat your coronary heart out, child. At some point you’ll get there.’
GOLF: There’s solely been a handful of caddie sponsorships earlier than this, what do you assume the attraction is now?
Ellis: I feel it’s sensible. The caddies are often a few of the extra outspoken on Tour and I feel it’s been superior for us, however then even a few of the manufacturers. We get to indicate another personalities and the businesses get to have extra enjoyable with us than perhaps a few of the gamers as a result of they’re severe and might’t do a few of the obligations that we are able to do.
