Stacy Lewis doesn’t have her usual caddie Travis Wilson on the bag this week. But Wilson isn’t just taking the week off. His aunt, 1989 du Maurier Classic champion and seven-time LPGA winner Tammie Green-Parker, is competing in the inaugural U.S. Senior Women’s Open, being conducted at Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, Ill.
“I know Travis wanted to be here, but this was too great an opportunity for him to miss,” said Lewis, who has worked with Wilson for 11-plus years. “He started his caddie career working with his aunt, and when he mentioned it, I said he should absolutely do it.”
So who gets caddie duty this week at the Marathon Classic? That would be Lewis’ husband of nearly two years, Gerrod Chadwell.
“Stacy and I are super competitive in nature, so this will be fun for both of us,” said Chadwell, who will donate any caddie winnings to the University of Houston women’s golf team, where he is the head coach. “I am going there to help her in any way that I can and then stay out of her way the rest of the time.”
Lewis and Chadwell will certainly be cheering on Wilson and Green-Parker from afar. Green-Parker, a member of the Ohio Golf Hall of Fame, tees on Thursday at 7:22 a.m. alongside fellow major champions Martha Nause and Sally Little.
The parents-to-be are also hoping for a nice four-round stroll together to begin the celebration of a special upcoming time.
"I’m excited to have my husband on the bag this week," Lewis told LPGA.com. "We play a lot of golf together so he knows my game really well. It will be a fun last tournament for both of us."
Lewis is due on Nov. 3 and will take the rest of the 2018 season off to prepare for the birth of her first child. Lewis said Tuesday in the media center that she isn't exactly sure when she will return in 2019, but gave some hints.
"I just kind of take it as it comes and see how it goes. That's what coming back after having a baby is going to be. We do have a tournament in Diamond Resorts in January that I'm in from Portland last year, so I'd like to play that if I can and kind of use that as a test run of traveling and how are things going to be. Then probably start more full-time in March out in Phoenix."