PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Caddie J.J. Jakovac made sure that there would be no doubt this time that he’d be the winner of the annual Caddie Competition at the 17th hole at the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on Wednesday.
Jakovac, who caddies for Collin Morikawa, aced the 131-yard famed island green with a 9-iron and then broke into a wild celebration.
It was the ninth ace for Jakovac, a former mini-tour pro in his 17th year as a caddie, but hadn’t had one in close to 15 years. Given his golf skills, he’s been in the hunt for winning the closest to the hole competition.
“One time I was leading all day until 4:45 and one guy at the end stuffed it to 3 feet,” he said.
Jakovac said he hardly plays golf anymore these days but he just got a new set of TaylorMade P770 irons on Tuesday. He carried the pitching wedge in the bag of Morikawa, who played a practice round with Jason Day, Min Woo Lee and Isaiah Salinda. Leaving the range this morning, Morikawa said to him, “You aren’t going to hit one?”
“No, I’m going to make it my first one,” Jakovac said.
He listened to his boss and hit two practice shots at the range and liked the feel of the shafts.
With the flag, positioned 4 on, 4 right, Jakovac took dead aim.
“Be good,” Morikawa said.
Of the shot, he said, “It had to ride the wind to get there. Right as it came off, I was like, that’s a perfect line if it lands the right distance. It started spinning, and I was like this has a heckuva chance.”
“Do it, do it,” someone said.
It did. Jakovac ran around in celebration until caddies and players gang-tackled him.
“Any hole in one is special,” Morikawa said, “A hole in one on 17 against every other caddie…” Tough to beat. As is the prize. As winner of the closest to the hole contest, Jakovac wins the donated player funds, an engraved money clip, a framed hand-drawn sketch by Casey Jones, a preferred parking spot in Lot C, an additional $10,000 present by Knockaround and recognition on the honors board in the Tunnel of Champions.
And he figures his winnings will come in handy at the bar tonight.
“I’m supposed to get dinner with six other caddies tonight so I’ll be buying,” he said.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: JJ Jakovac is buying drinks after acing the iconic island green at TPC
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