Danny Willett And Masters-Winning Caddie Part Ways

The 2016 Masters champion split with Jonathan Smart during the RBC Heritage and will have David Lipsky's caddie Sam Haywood on the bag this week

Danny Willett And Masters-Winning Caddie Part Ways
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The 2016 Masters champion split with Jonathan Smart during the RBC Heritage and will have David Lipsky's caddie Sam Haywood on the bag this week

Danny Willett And Masters-Winning Caddie Part Ways

A year after winning The Masters together, Danny Willett and childhood friend Jonathan Smart have split after a disagreement during the RBC Heritage.

According to BBC Golf Correspondent Iain Carter, Smart felt 'mistreated' by Willett and effectively sacked the world number 21 mid-tournament in the week after The Masters.

Willett then had someone from his management team on the bag during the second round.

"Things are a bit stale and kind of fizzled out," Willett told BBC Sport.

"It is a shame. But things happen and change, everything happens for a reason.

danny willett and masters-winning caddie part ways

Danny Willett and Jonathan Smart celebrate with their trophies after winning the team event at the 2016 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at The Old Course at St Andrews, Scotland. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

"We are still working hard to get the game in shape to get back playing the golf we know we can play."

Willett will have Sam Haywood, who was best man at his wedding, on the bag at this week's Players Championship.

Haywood currently caddies for American David Lipsky who plays on the European Tour, although it is unknown if he will make a permanent switch with Willett.

"Sam knows my game really well," Willett told the BBC.

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"We've played a lot of golf together over the last 10 or 15 years. It's nice having someone who you can speak frankly with. He knows where my game is and when it's good. I think it's going to be good."

The 2016 Masters champion is yet to re-find the form that won England's first Green Jacket since Nick Faldo's triumph in 1996, slipping from ninth down to 21st in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Despite a plethora of missed cuts, Willett has had four top six finishes on the European Tour since claiming his maiden major, including a second-place at the Italian Open and a third-place at the BMW PGA Championship.

You must feel that better times are around the corner for the Yorkshireman.

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV