'A Lot Of The Guys (On LIV) Aren’t In The Majors That Would Have Been If They Were Playing The PGA Tour. That’s A Huge Downfall. We Didn’t Get To Play In The Majors. We Weren’t In The Masters Anymore’ - Caddie On LIV Golf vs PGA Tour Differences

Kenny Harms has caddied on the professional circuit for 35 years, with two of those seasons coming on the LIV Golf League.

Working with Kevin Na for 16 years, the pair were a part of the PGA Tour, before the American opted to join the LIV Golf League in June 2022, playing every tournament on the circuit since.

Although the duo parted ways in August 2024, Harms, who spoke to Golf Monthly in an exclusive interview, detailed the key differences between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf League, specifically from a caddie's perspective.

"The competition is great on both of them. However, the way that the caddies get treated on LIV is like being a player," stated the veteran looper, who is currently taking a break from the game.

"I (would) leave my house and get myself to the airport but, wherever I'm flying, there's somebody there waiting for me. There's a driver to take me to my hotel. They have transportation set up for all the caddies. They pay for the hotel. We eat with the players and the families. We're in the locker rooms with them. That's a huge difference.

"When you have 54 players, it's easy to do that. When you have 156 players, like on the PGA Tour, there's not enough room for all the caddies.

"(A) Significant difference is that the caddies have very little expenses. If I want to go out to dinner, or go and have drinks, they are my expense, but pretty much everything else is paid for which, when you're traveling on the PGA Tour, you pay for everything."

Another positive for Harms is the travelling, something that the veteran bagman has done since a very early age.

Currently splitting his time between Singapore and the United States, Harms explained that: "We're going to Australia. We're going to Hong Kong. They've just been to Korea and they're maybe going to Japan next year. We're at Valderrama, one of the best golf courses in the world. We're in England playing at JCB.

"You get to travel. You get to see other places that you haven't seen. I've been traveling my whole life, ever since I was a kid.

"I'm always into looking at new places and that's probably the biggest thing, the different venues that LIV has. They've been to some of the same places, but they're trying to change it up and get to different places around the world."

Despite all the positives, there are some negatives that Harms found while caddying on the LIV Golf circuit, one of which the players share and will also understand.

Because the LIV Golf League doesn't possess Official World Golf Ranking points, which plays a big part in determining fields for Majors, it means players on the League have limited pathways into the big four Championships.

In terms of Harms' old boss, Na, the five-time PGA Tour winner's last Major appearance came at the 2023 Masters, where Na was forced to withdraw. This factor is one of the key aspects Harms misses from professional caddie life.

"A lot of the guys (on LIV) aren't in the Majors that would have been if they were playing the PGA Tour. That's a huge downfall. We didn't get to play in the Majors. We weren't in the Masters anymore.

"Kevin was a top 30 player the first year I worked for him. We were always in the Tour Championship and we were in all the Majors. That's probably the one thing that I miss the most, not being able to be in the Majors.

"We tried to qualify for the US Open once and didn't make it. It means you have to sit back on the sidelines and watch on TV."

As mentioned, Harms is currently taking a break from the game following 35 years as a professional caddie, with the American reiterating that he hasn't retired from the sport, despite splitting with Na at the end of summer 2024.

When asked about what he misses from professional caddie life, Harms, who has also caddied for the likes of Hale Irwin and Michelle Wie, stated: "I miss my friends, for sure.

"The players that I became friends with and the old players that I worked for in the past. I miss my friends that I have on LIV and the friendships I made out there as well.

"Life changes and, with every aspect of life, it's just part of it. You roll along with it and if I make it back out there again on LIV, or back to the PGA Tour, who knows.

"Would I like to be back there in competition? Yeah. I think every caddie, deep down inside when they retire or get fired, they go away from the game and they miss it. Especially when you're going down the last nine holes with a chance of winning.

"There's no better feeling in the world, especially getting it done and winning. I've missed that tremendously."