Phil Mickelson's New Caddie Sent Off With Heartfelt 'Thank You' By 10-Year Former Employer

Scott Stallings' loss appears to be Phil Mickelson's gain as the former's caddie, Jon Yarbrough is expected to switch bags ahead of the 2024 Masters tournament.

Yarbrough and Stallings had been a team for much of the past decade, but without much outright success for the Worcester, Massachusetts-born golfer. Stallings - who was winless on the PGA Tour since the Farmers Insurance Open in 2014 - had qualified for the 2023 Masters, though, where he finished T26 after reaching the Tour Championship a few months earlier.

However, after missing the cut in five of his eight starts this season, Stallings looks to have waved goodbye to his caddie of 10 years.

According to Golfweek, Yarbrough will link up with Mickelson for the first time at LIV Golf Miami next weekend before carrying Lefty's bag around Augusta National days later.

During a 20-plus-year career, Yarbrough has been on the bag of players such as Suzann Pettersen, Morgan Pressel, Bill Haas, Gary Woodland and Smylie Kaufman.

Posting a short but heartfelt message to his caddie on Instagram, Stallings said of Yarbrough: "Here’s to a great 10 years @jylooper. You made me a better player inside the ropes and a better man outside of them. Thank you for everything."

Mickelson was briefly on the hunt for a new bagman following the news that his brother Tim would be stepping down with immediate effect on Tuesday.

Seven years Phil's junior, Tim had looped for his brother since 2016 and watched the six-time Major winner claim the 2018 WGC-Mexico, the 2019 Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the PGA Tour as well as - most impressively of all - the 2021 PGA Championship.

In an Instagram post, 53-year-old Phil said: “I've had some great accomplishments in my career and getting to share them with my brother Tim has been beyond special. I’m very lucky to have had him on the bag for me the past eight years and as my brother for life."

Despite struggling to replicate his PGA Tour form on LIV, Mickelson went on to suggest his brother's family commitments had led to the decision for Tim to end his caddying career, rather than for form-related reasons.

Mickelson continued: "So much has changed since he was single and we started working together. He’s found his life partner, Maranda, they’ve had their second son, and hopefully their family will continue to grow.

"While Tim is retiring from caddying, I’ll always cherish the many great moments we’ve shared on the course and I look forward to many more special moments off the course too.”

Elsewhere on LIV, Caleb Surratt - a teammate of Jon Rahm on Legion XIII - has apparently poached Akshay Bhatia's caddie, Brian Dilley, a friend of Rahm's caddie, Adam Hayes.

In a text sent to USA Today Sports, Surratt said of his new looper: “I’m still learning, growing, and working on everything that I’m beginning to see what I need as a player in order to grow and be able to compete to the highest level, and I think Brian Dilley‘s gonna be able to help me get to that point.

“He has caddied at an extremely high-level for longer than I’ve been alive, and undoubtably will be a great set of eyes to have on my golf game. Everyone on my team around me, speaks very highly of him, and I’m very excited to get to work with him in the coming weeks.

"It’s been a very enjoyable ride so far, and I’m excited to keep learning myself, and learning professional golf game, and eventually grow to be one of the best players in the world.”