Jordan Spieth's long-time caddie and friend, Michael Greller, is set to team up with Max Homa at The Sentry this week as the PGA Tour kicks off its 2025 season at the illustrious Kapalua Plantation Course. Three-time major winner Spieth will be absent from the teebox in the inaugural event as he continues to recover from wrist surgery.
The injury to his left hand occurred after an accident involving his son Sammy, and despite attempts to heal through rest, Spieth's condition deteriorated during the 2024 season when a wrist tendon unexpectedly "popped out" mid-play, leading the 31 year old golfer to undergo surgery.
Sean Martin of PGA Tour’s official portal reveals that Greller, who has been a key figure beside Spieth for 13 years since he turned professional, will caddie temporarily for Homa during the tournament.
Spieth Legion, a popular fan account devoted to Spieth, echoed the news on social media, stating: "Michael Greller has a new bag this week. He's caddying for Max Homa at The Sentry. It's just temporary. Greller's boss, Jordan Spieth, isn't in the field, and Homa needed a temporary fill-in. His longtime caddie, Joe Greiner, is expected to return later in the West Coast swing."
Holding an impressive record together since their early days back at the US Junior Amateur, Greller had even taken a leave from his teaching job to follow Spieth onto the golf course.
Spieth and his caddie have been a dynamic duo on the golf course, clinching major titles like the Masters and US Open in 2015, and The Open in 2017. Despite their success, Greller's methods have sparked debate due to their protracted pre-shot discussions.
Meanwhile, Homa seems intrigued by this approach, possibly looking for a fresh strategy after a victory drought since the 2023 Farmers Insurance Open. After a lacklustre 2024 with only three top-10s and several missed cuts, the 34 year old is rumoured to be reuniting with his long-standing caddie.
Yet, it's uncertain if Homa's plans will pivot based on his performance at The Sentry.
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Spieth himself has faced challenges, failing to triumph in any tournament in 2024 and securing a mere four top-25 finishes. His most recent appearance was at the FedEx St.Jude Championship in August, where he ended up T68 and didn't make it to the BMW Championship.
On a brighter note, speaking to SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio, Spieth shared positive news about his wrist injury recovery: "Everything's gone according to plan," he revealed.
"I've been kind of hitting on a ball count the last couple weeks and then I got the full go this last weekend. The weather's been good here in Dallas, I've been at it the last, well, really, I hit Nerf balls for a while so I could work on some mechanics and not have the contact.
"Now I have zero restrictions. It feels good. None of the shots, you know, I don't really have any problems with it. No pain, no anything. So now it's kind of just taking care of it, continuing to do therapy probably through the New Year, and just be prepared to go start playing some golf and be prepared to play three weeks in a row.
"I think that's kind of the next step is actually getting out and playing, which will be fun. It'll be a little rusty to start for sure."
