'Be there for your player'

Caddies are a crucial part of a professional golfer’s armoury – a trusted ally, a confidante, an expert word in the ear.

The glue.

They do not just carry the clubs. They advise which club should be used – only once an array of factors have been assessed including distance, hole location and weather conditions.

Players may get the majority of the acclaim, but every successful golfer knows that a good caddie is worth their weight in gold.

“A good caddie is one that is there to support your player through thick and thin, especially when things aren’t going well,” said Tanya Paterson, who caddied for Asheigh Buhai when she won the AIG Women’s Open in 2022.

“Just because you’re not hitting the ball doesn’t mean you’re not a part of it. You are a part of it. You are a big part of the team.”

That was certainly the case for Tanya when she helped Ashleigh win her first major title at Muirfield three years ago.

Impressive from Thursday to Saturday, the South African was 14-under-par heading into the final round, five shots clear of three-time major winner In Gee Chun and 2019 Champion Hinako Shibuno.

Although the odds were stacked in her favour, Tanya knew Ashleigh’s sizeable advantage could be wiped out in an instant on the tricky links terrain. And that’s almost exactly what happened.

In relative control, Ashleigh was still three shots clear with just four holes of the entire Championship remaining. Then catastrophe struck.

She hit her tee shot at the 15th into a bunker, then found thick rough with her next shot and didn’t make clean contact with her third. The result was a triple-bogey, which saw her slip to 10-under-par, level with In Gee.

“A five-shot lead in the Women’s Open is nothing,” said Tanya. “You know that disaster might be just around the corner. You can never relax. If it was a normal event and you’re having a nightmare hole, you can still somehow manage to get away with a bogey and that’s a good outcome.

“But at the Women’s Open, when you’re in those pot bunkers anything can happen.

“When Ash went into the bunker on 15, came out, mishit her third, then left it short of the green I’m thinking ‘what am I going to say?’

“And me, trying to be calm – which I wasn’t! – said ‘It’s OK mate, it’s OK.’ And she said “Well it’s not really!’

“That actually made me giggle because that’s not what I expected her to come back with!

“But after we made triple we were tied for the lead and we both knew we were still in it.”

This very measured reaction to losing a three-stroke lead in a flash went a long way to refocusing Ashleigh for the final stretch, and the sudden death play-off that would ensue with In Gee.

Both tied at 10-under after 72 holes, the pair were forced to play the 18th four more times before Ashleigh eventually prevailed, finding a par to In Gee’s bogey.

Crucially, Tanya didn’t lose her sense of humour during the dramatic extra holes, which helped to keep Ashleigh relaxed at the most pressurised time of her career.

“During the play-off I was saying ‘Ash, can we finish this off please? I’m tired!

“I think the toughest shot at Muirfield is the drive on 18. To just hit it down the middle, keep it in play. If you land in the pot bunker on 18 you’re done. Simple as that. So for me, that was the most impressive thing she did all week, especially in the play-off.

“The thing with Ash is that she likes to keep things simple. For someone who had never won an LPGA event before, the way she handled everything was so impressive.

“She’s a fighter, she really is. That’s what I love about her. She never gives up.”

A former player on the Epson Tour, Tanya became a caddie in 2006 after finding life increasingly difficult on the course. Her husband Michael is also a caddie, and he was on the bag when Karrie Webb won the AIG Women’s Open in 2002.

Tanya’s first job was with Mardi Lunn – sister of another former AIG Women’s Open Champion, Karen – who she worked with for a year. And she never looked back.

“After Mardi, I joined up with Brandie Burton in California for six years and we became best friends,” she explained.

“I started playing golf because I loved the game. And when I started caddying I found a whole new love for the game. A completely different love.

“When you build relationships with the players it makes it even more special because you’re not just doing it for a wage. You’re doing it because you want to be a part of it, and they make you feel a part of it.

“It’s a different role and it has different stresses to being a player. When you have tricky weather days and you’re trying to predict the wind, that’s when it can be a bit mind-boggling, but you do the best you can.”

Now a seasoned caddie with an eye for detail, Tanya’s experience with a club in her hands means that she knows what players will be thinking at certain times, she knows how difficult certain shots might be and plans her approach accordingly.

“I won the South Africa Amateur Championship in 1996 and Ash has won it three times,” she said, “so it’s nice that we’ve both got our name on the same trophy.

“Because I’ve played golf as well, I think Ash appreciates the fact that I know how difficult any particular shot might be.

“We have a great relationship out on the course. I know when to speak up and equally know when to stay quiet, which is key. I’m very lucky to caddie for such a great player and such a great person too.”

Tanya continued: “The players at the top end of the game; their mentality is off the charts. Ash is one of them. Loads of players have got the talent, but unless you get the mental side of things right you’re not going to make it. I think that’s what I was lacking, but I’m a lot more comfortable being a caddie.

“I think you have to be as positive as possible to be a caddie. If you’re a golfer you don’t want to look over and see your caddie looking confused, upset or looking down at the floor. You’re a team. You’ve got to be there for your player.”

And how does she reflect on that famous victory at Muirfield?

“What an amazing week – it was all a bit of a blur,” she said.

“Everyone dreams of that, don’t they? Winning a major. Not just as a player, but as a caddie too. Just to be a part of it. It was incredible.

“Ash was cruising. It was just one of those weeks where everything was working, especially the Friday and Saturday. Neither of us had ever been in that position so it was all new to us. But we managed it well.

“It was so surreal, so great – and I want it all again!"