Early in 2023 Lydia Ko made the shock announcement that she had split with her caddie, Derek Kistler.
The decision raised eyebrows because, in the months leading up to it, she had been in some of the best form of her career, which was capped by a superb two-shot win over Leona Maguire at the season-closing CME Group Tour Championship, while she also regained the World No.1 spot.
Ko celebrates her 2022 CME Group Tour Championship victory
Adding to the notion that Ko was back to her best were the Rolex Player of the Year award and Vare Trophy for low scoring average that came with her success.
Regardless, though, Ko opted to make the change, and Kistler began caddying on the PGA Tour for the likes of Lanto Griffin and Cameron Champ.
In the meantime, Ko turned to someone she had previously worked with, David Jones. The reunion began well, as the New Zealander began 2023 winning the Aramco Saudi Ladies International with the promise of another year of dominance ahead.
However, Ko suffered a slump in form shortly afterwards that eventually saw her fall out of the world’s top 10. Whether that form persuaded Ko to make another change is unclear but, in the latter part of the 2023 season, she had Paul Cormack on the bag.
The Scot was educated at McLennan Community College and worked as a postman and bartender following college, before eventually playing professionally, including on the PGA Tour Canada. However, it was in caddying that he made his name.
Cormack was Swedish star Anna Nordqvist’s caddie for four years, and was alongside her as she claimed her third Major title at the 2021 AIG Women’s Open.
Following that victory, she had some warm words for Cormack, writing on Instagram: "Couldn't have done this without you @paulhcormack !! You have been there every single day for me the last 2,5+ years of working together and you never doubted me once and believed in me more than I believed in myself.
"You have seen all my struggles and you stayed positive when I couldn't. Sharing this with you means more than anything and you are the hardest working person I have met. Paul, you are the best!!"
Paul Cormack caddied for Anna Nordqvist for four years
Despite their success, the partnership ended in April 2023, when Cormack informed Nordqvist that he would begin caddying on the PGA Tour and, in the months that followed, he was regularly seen on the bag for Kevin Chappell.
By September’s Kroger Queen City Championship, though, he was back on the LPGA Tour, this time with Ko and, by the BMW Ladies Championship the following month, she offered an emphatic reminder of her abilities with a finish of third.
The pair then enjoyed their first victory together as part of the winning team with PGA Tour star Jason Day at the inaugural Grant Thornton Invitational and, in 2024, Ko picked up the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions as the partnership continued to flourish.
Lydia Ko won the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions with Paul Cormack alongside her
The following week it almost got better for the pair when Ko appeared to be closing in on the LPGA Drive On Championship title and a place in the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame.
However, even though Nelly Korda ultimately denied her, there have still been significant bright spots with further top 10 finishes at the Blue Bay LPGA and the CPKC Women's Open before Ko, with Cormack by her side led the way into the final round of the women's Olympics golf tournament as she closed in on one of the highlights of her glittering career so far.
