Who Is Michael Thorbjornsen’s Caddie?

JJ Jakovac and Michael Thorbjornsen at The American Express

Michael Thorbjornsen's caddie is JJ Jakovac

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Michael Thorbjornsen enjoyed a glittering amateur career, with one of the high points being a quarterfinal appearance at the 2020 US Amateur.

Caddying for him on that occasion was a man who would go on to claim victory on the PGA Tour, Karl Vilips, who won the Puerto Rico Open five years later.

Michael Thorbjornsen and Drew Cohen at the 2022 US Open

Cohen continued working with the Stanford player beyond the Major, including at the 2023 Dubai Desert Classic, where he placed T20 while still an amateur.

Thorbjornsen left the amateur game behind in 2024 after finishing top of the PGA Tour University rankings to earn his PGA Tour card, and before long, he had a considerably more experienced caddie to turn to, Tiger Woods' former bagman, Lance Bennett.

Bennett helped Thorbjornsen achieve his best finish at a Major, when he placed T25 at the 2025 PGA Championship.

Lance Bennett and Michael Thorbjornsen at the 2025 PGA Championship — Thorbjornsen worked with Lance Bennett at the 2025 PGA Championship

However, he has since made way for another caddie with invaluable experience to help guide the young player, Collin Morikawa’s former caddie JJ Jakovac.

Morikawa built a hugely successful six-year partnership with Jakovac that included Major victories at the 2020 PGA Championship and 2021 Open. In total, he won six times on the PGA Tour with Jakovac’s help, before making a surprise switch to Joe Greiner in May 2025.

JJ Jakovac and Collin Morikawa pose for a photograph with the Claret Jug — JJ Jakovac helped Collin Morikawa win two Major titles

It’s not hard to see why Thorbjornsen is putting his faith in Jakovac, aside from his success with Morikawa.

The Californian has a playing background, having had success at California State University, Chico between 2000 and 2004, winning two NCAA II individual championships along the way.

Not only that, he was handed the Jack Nicklaus Award in 2004, which recognizes the most outstanding collegiate golfer in any division each year.

After leaving college, Jakovac had a professional career before spending a spell working in construction.

Eventually, his career led him to caddying, including spells alongside Matt Bettencourt, Zack Miller, John Merrick, Pete Tomasulo and Ryan Moore.

Ryan Moore and JJ Jakovac — JJ Jakovac had a spell with Ryan Moore before working with Collin Morikawa

After linking up with Thorbjornsen, the pair soon began reaping the rewards, with finishes of T4 at the 2025 Rocket Classic and third at the Baycurrent Classic two of the highlights.

Into 2026, and Thorbjornsen was again finding success with Jakovac, riding high on the leaderboard during the closing holes of the WM Phoenix Open as the working relationship continued to go from strength to strength.

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories.

He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game.

Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course.

Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.

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