Jordan Spieth has never been shy to give credit to his caddy, Michael Greller, often lauding the caddy’s knowledge and calming influence, and even going as far as saying “we” whenever he talks about his game.

 
On Tuesday’s “Morning Drive” (Golf Channel), Greller received praise from an extremely credible place: Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay, who recently ended an incredible 25-year stint as the caddy for five-time major winner Phil Mickelson.

According to Mackay, the yardage Greller gave Spieth during his 13th hole fiasco on Sunday at The Open Championship might have been “the most critical yardage ever given to a player in the history of golf.”

Bullets

• Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay, a long-time star in the caddy ranks, who now works as a golf analyst, expressed amazement for a call Jordan Spieth’s caddy, Michael Greller, made at an important point of this past weekend’s Open Championship.
• After Spieth received a drop from the driving range after a wayward drive on the 13th hole, Spieth thought he needed a 270 yard shot. Greller informed Spieth that it was actually 230 to the front of the green.
• The yardage ended up changing Spieth’s club selection from a 3-wood to a 3-iron. Spieth was able to clear the rough and then got up-and-down for a critical bogey that originally looked like it could be something much worse. Spieth went on to win the Championship.
• Spieth remarked later that his yardage is usually better yardage than Greller on crazy angles, but deferred to Greller in this case, since he seemed so confident. It ended up being the right move.
• Mackay suggested that the call may have been the most critical for yardage in the history of golf.

Quotable

“Jordan is off the grid there, and Michael, once they found the ball, had to go to the top of the dune, he’s got to eyeball it back to the ball, he’s got to eyeball it toward the green, add it up, and give it to his man with hopefully the right line. If he gets that wrong, and the ball goes into a bunker or into a gorse bush, they are in a lot of trouble. What Michael did there, in his little piece, because obviously he’s not hitting the shot, is one of the most amazing things a caddie has ever done.”
–Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay, former caddy of Phil Mickelson