The LPGA Tour is mourning the loss of veteran caddie Greg Sheridan, who died this week after a long battle with advanced stage brain and lung cancer.
A hugely popular and respected figure on the circuit, Sheridan worked as a looper for more than 35 years on the LPGA Tour, carrying the bag for LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame members Kathy Whitworth and Beth Daniel, and most recently for Natalie Gulbis, among others.
"Greg.... I miss you so much already and it hasn't even been a day... 15+seasons traveling the world you carried me & my bag through the highs and lows of golf and life. You were so much more than my teammate on the course…Thank you," tweeted Gulbis.
LPGA Tour commissioner Mike Whan said via Twitter: "A really tough loss to the @LPGA family. God just added a fantastic teammate in heaven."
With Sheridan on her bag, Gulbis won her only LPGA Tour title at the 2007 Evian Masters, edging out Jeong Jang with a two-putt birdie on the first hole of a playoff. In March last year, Gulbis wrote a lengthy column in Sports Illustrated about the significant impact made by Sheridan on her golf career.
"I went through a couple more caddies before finally winning the looper lottery by hiring Greg Sheridan in 2004, who had won 39 titles while caddying for Beth Daniel and Kathy Whitworth," said Gulbis. "Greg now has 40 titles. Yes, I’ve slowed down his winning rate, but we’re having a wonderful run. We must be in the top-five longest of all caddy-player relationships – this is our 12th year together.
"It’s often said that to be a great caddie you have to do three things: show up, keep up and shut up. In 11 years, I’ve missed my share of time with illness or injury, but Greg has yet to skip a single day. He is 30 years older than me, but walks just as fast as I do. And I disagree on that third point. – I like to keep a conversation going throughout the round. The last thing I want after making a bogey is the silent treatment.
"How do we make it work? He’s incredibly positive, and he’s quick to take ownership of any mistakes. So am I."