Jason Day And Father Figure Caddie Colin Swatton Part Ways

Day has had Swatton on his bag for his whole career

Jason Day And Father Figure Caddie Colin Swatton Part Ways
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Swatton took the former world number one under his wing after Day's father died when he was 12, the pair worked together ever since

Jason Day And Father Figure Caddie Colin Swatton Part Ways

Jason Day will have a new caddie on the bag this week for the first time in his career after parting ways with long-time bagman Colin Swatton.

Swatton, who is also Day's coach, will remain as his instructor but will no longer be taking to the fairways with the 2015 USPGA Champion.

When Day was 12, his father died and Swatton was the golf coach at Kooralbyn International School in Australia. He took Day under his wing and the pair have worked together ever since.

Day told media that they have split to preserve their personal relationship.

Jason Day And Father Figure Caddie Colin Swatton Part Ways

The pair embrace after Day won The Barclays in 2015

“I never wanted it to turn into a toxic relationship where he’s taken me from where I am as a 12-year-old kid to where I am today, and I’m not talking to him anymore," the world number nine said.

“I was worried if I kept it going, it was going to head that way, and I love him too much to have him not in my life because of how special he is to me.”

It's the third high-profile player-caddie break-up in recent months, with Phil Mickelson and Bones parting ways as well as Rory McIlroy and JP Fitzgerald.

Jason Day And Father Figure Caddie Colin Swatton Part Ways

After winning the 2010 HP Byron Nelson Championship (Photo by Darren Carroll/Getty Images)

In all three cases, the players had only ever had one caddie in their professional careers.

Jason Day will have his high school roommate Luke Reardon on the bag this week, and most-likely next week too if he can remain inside the top-30 on the FedEx Cup points list to qualify for East Lake. Day currently sits 28th.

After the Tour Championship, the Aussie will play for the International Team in the Presidents Cup, which takes place at Liberty National Golf Club.

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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