Who Is Sam Bennett's Caddie?

Who Is Sam Bennett's Caddie?

Sam Bennett won the 2022 U.S. Amateur Championship and his path to victory was one of the most bruising in championship history if one goes by the World Amateur Golf Ranking. Bennett took down #13, 27, 10, 9, and 8 before holding off #70 Ben Carr with a 1-up victory. We are uncertain who carried his bag for that success but we do know who's on the bag for the 2023 Masters, a man called Brian Kortan.

A native of Yankton, South Dakota, Kortan is actually the head golf coach at Texas A&M, the college which Bennett attended for several years. Kortan joined the men's golf program as an assistant in 2013 and worked his way up to the top job. 

In his first two seasons as the head coach, the Aggies earned two NCAA Regional bids, made an appearance at the 2022 NCAA Championship and advanced to the SEC Championship semifinal round twice. He has also guided the Maroon & White to five tournament titles over the span.

Prior to this he also worked with the golf program at the University of New Mexico and before that Kortan was quite the player himself. 

According to his page on the official Texas A&M site it says; "Kortan enjoyed a 16-year professional golf career, competing on various levels including the PGA, Dakotas, Hooters, Gateway, Adams and Nationwide tours. He played in the 2008 U.S. Open and notched wins at over 15 professional events throughout his career, including the 2009 Capital One Classic and 2008 New Mexico Open."

On the PGA Tour he played in 25 events, and made the cut in eight of them. His career earnings on the PGA Tour are $159,939.

He attended the University of New Mexico and played on the golf team there. Kortan excelled on the Lobos golf team from 1990-94, where he was a 1992 All-American and Western Athletic Conference champion. He won at the 1993 Fox Acres Invitational and was an Academic All-America selection in 1994. Whilst at college he was also able to graduate with a degree in university studies.

Kortan helped Bennett shoot two 68's in the opening two rounds of the 2023 Masters, and when asked what Kortan does for him on the course, Bennett said; 

"Yeah, he's funny. I can talk to him about anything. I mean, literally anything I want. He's like my second father. So we're having fun out there. I know he's pretty tired in that caddie suit. He lets you know, too. But yeah, I mean, we're -- I don't know, he's done a lot. Without him, I would not be able to be in the situation that I am. Just some of the numbers that he's given me, some of the club selections, some of the stuff he said to help me calm down, I mean, all credit to him. Just like at the Am, without him, I wouldn't be sitting right here."