Joe LaCava lagged behind his new boss as he walked off the fifth green at Liberty National. He’s rusty, after all.

“He’s going to have to put up with the scrub caddie this week,” LaCava joked.Tiger Woods’ caddie has picked up a substitute gig in Patrick Cantlay for this week’s Northern Trust, the first of three FedEx Cup Playoff events. It’s a temporary gig for one week only as Cantlay’s full-time looper, Matt Minister, is out after testing positive for COVID-19. 

LaCava resides in Connecticut, which made the drive down to northern New Jersey rather manageable. He’s staying close to the Meadowlands, home of his beloved New York Giants.

“It’s getting me pumped for the season, that’s for sure.”

Woods, of course, remains sidelined as he rehabilitates traumatic leg injuries sustained during a February 23 car accident near Los Angeles. There is no timetable for when Woods might be able to begin swinging a golf club again. LaCava did say he recently visited Woods in Florida.

Woods and Cantlay have grown close, with both holding memberships at Medalist Golf Club in south Florida. Woods also captained Cantlay during the 2019 Presidents Cup.

It’s not the first time LaCava has picked up work since Woods has been out with injury. In June, he worked for his former boss, Fred Couples, at the Principal Charity Classic on the PGA Tour Champions. Couples finished tied for sixth.

Cantlay, ninth in the world ranking, enters this week in third place in the FedEx Cup points standings on the strength of two victories this season: the Zozo Championship late last year and the Memorial in June, when he beat Collin Morikawa in a playoff after 54-hole leader Jon Rahm was forced to withdraw due to testing positive for COVID-19.

There’s no word yet as to how much of the $US15 million grand prize LaCava would get should Cantlay run hot this week and go on to win the FedEx Cup. They’ll cross that bridge if they come to it – and they’d love to come to it.