Justin Thomas will have a fill-in caddie on his bag at this week’s Masters.
Joe Greiner, who recently split with Max Homa, will partner with Thomas, who said Tuesday night that his usual caddie, Matt “Rev” Minister, hurt his back and is unable to be on his bag.
“Rev is resting up so he gets better soon,” Thomas wrote on social media. “I’m very lucky Joe Greiner is a great friend and able to help me out last minute.”
Thomas told ESPN’s Jeff Darlington that the caddie movement all took place in the last 36 hours. Greiner was not paired with Thomas during his practice round at Augusta National on Tuesday.
Greiner was on Homa’s bag last year when he finished tied for third at Augusta National. Unfortunately for Homa, a six-time PGA Tour winner who was once ranked as high as No. 5 in the world, he’s slumped badly since, leading to his split with Greiner ahead of the Valero Texas Open last week.
Earlier Tuesday, Homa, who is in the Masters field this week, expounded on the split with Greiner, his childhood friend, saying it wasn’t his choice.
“We always had a deal that we’re friends first and friendship mattered more than the work thing, and he was wise enough to do what he did,” Homa said.
“It’s hard. I’m just so used to him caddying. …. But I was happy that he did it — at the end of my days we continue to be great friends than one of us resent the other for how hard this game can be on a relationship.
“So it sucks because I just pictured always walking fairways with Joe. But again, that’s not — that was not the deal. I would rather walk life with Joe forever than this dumb game. So it’s been hard to process, but also good in a way, because friendship does matter more than any of this stuff.”
Bill Harke has been on Homa’s bag since the Greiner split.
