Renowned for his 25-year collaboration with Phil Mickelson, Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay was essential in his five major triumphs, including three Masters crowns. On the greens, their cooperation was a symbol of mutual respect and aspiration. But tensions simmered behind the scenes. According to reports, their 2017 breakup was anything but cordial. Mackay ended the collaboration owing to “a series of simmering grievances,” including “hundreds of thousands of dollars in overdue back pay,” reported Alan Shipnuck. In response, Mickelson asserted that he had “overpaid” Mackay “$1 million more than any other player.”

Now, as Max Homa shines under the PGA spotlight, a familiar name quietly echoes behind the scenes. It is Jim Mackay! Throughout his professional golf career, Max Homa has been open and tenacious. So when asked about his new caddie at a press conference at the 2025 PGA Championship, he responded: “Yeah, Bill has been awesome. It’s really hard to change caddies. I was talking to my wife about that last night. You’re in like a full relationship day one. You’re out there with him, first day is probably eight hours. It’s not exactly a normal first date.” So yes, it can be tricky with his new caddie, Bill Harke.

Homa and Joe Greiner (old caddie) worked for so long together, and perhaps the golfer and his new caddie will have to take time building an equally strong chemistry. After missing five back-to-back cuts, the golfer split with Joe Greiner, his childhood friend and caddie. But what does any of this have to do with Mackay?

When the golfer needed a new caddie, it was Mackay who helped him out. As per Homa’s confession: “I didn’t really know who to go to because I never thought about it. Obviously caught me by surprise a little bit. So I never thought about — I always thought I’d end my career when I’m 60 and Joe’s 65, somehow still looping. Hopefully he was going to go the Fluff route and caddie forever. So I never thought about it.

“I had two weeks off and was kind of scrambling the first few days. I ended up calling Bones, who’s a good friend of mine, and asked him what he thought, and that was the first name he brought up. He thought he was a very underrated caddie and thought we would gel very well. Obviously I put a lot of faith and trust in Bones. He’s as knowledgeable as they get. Gave Bill a call. Fortunately he was free. Yeah, we got to start working in San Antonio.” But hey, Mackay is a caddie too! Why couldn’t he have caddied for Homa? The golfer had an answer for this, too.

“No. Bones, if he wanted to, would have offered, I feel like. No, Bones has been one of the best buddies I could have. We go to Thanksgiving at his house. His family has been amazing to us. He doesn’t — I think he likes where his life’s at right now. I don’t think he — I would never ask him to be a part of like this massive grind and rebuild. It would be a little different if I was — you know, when he came back and worked with Justin, who’s one of the best players on the planet. Yeah, it could have been fun, but at the end of the day, Bones and I are buddies, and I was just calling to lean on him and ask him for some advice.”

Although Mackay is not caddying for Homa in this event, their relationship highlights the value of mentorship and teamwork in golf. Homa respects Mackay. With a 7-under 64 in the second round, his best in a major, Homa’s achievement demonstrates his brilliance and the support network behind the scenes. And just when Homa’s momentum couldn’t feel more electric, he nearly pulled off a moment that would’ve rewritten golf history.

A shot for the ages: Max Homa’s near-historic ace at Quail Hollow

With wins in the Wells Fargo Championships in 2019 and 2022, the Genesis Invitational in 2021, the Fortinet Championships in 2021 and 2022, and the Farmers Insurance Open in 2023, Max Homa has made a significant impact on the PGA Tour. The 2023 Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa was his most recent and first international victory.

Homa almost made golf history at the 2025 PGA Championship when he missed a historic ace by a foot on Quail Hollow’s 347-yard par-4 14th hole with an incredible tee shot. The crowd was excited by the incident, highlighting his rising prominence in the sport.

With birdies on the 10th, 13th, and 15th holes and a chip-in birdie on the 18th, Homa had an incredible front nine that included this near miss. He finished at 6-under 30. His performance rekindled conversations about his chances of winning a major championship and moving him up the list. Definitely, his new caddie relationship with Bill Harke has saved him from his sinking career.

Homa’s comeback, which was characterized by both deft play and openness about his difficulties, is evidence of the complex nature of professional golf achievement. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.