Patrick Smith
Current Player:
Gabi Ruffels
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Auckland, New Zealand
Favorite Golf Course
Carnousite
Golfing and caddie background:
I first came to the US in 2016 with the plan of having a bit of a work holiday. A firend of mine who I played amateur golf with, Liv Cheng, asked me to come out and caddie for her for a few weeks. Once that was over I had a few weeks off before I was lucky enough to get a call from Laura Gonzales-Escallon to caddie for her in the Symetra Tour Championship. She played great that week finishing in solo third and jumping from 11th to inside the top 10 on the money list and gaining her LPGA Tour card. She reached out to me and asked if I wanted to join her on the LPGA Tour form the 2017 season. I jumped at the opportunity and Ive been caddying ever since.
What do you love about caddying?
Getting to travel the world, visiting some of the best golf courses in the world. Also getting the privilege to be inside the ropes along side the best golfers in the world is pretty special.
Interesting caddie story:
When I was living in Houston working as a caddie at River Oaks Country Club I was approached by the caddie master to go out the following day with Payton Manning and his wealth manager who was a member at the club. I was asked not to tell anyone to avoid a large crowd of people flooding to the club. I met him on the range in the morning and hit it off straight away. He was a big fan of the All Blacks and the Haka. By the time we made the turn I could see every football fan had found out Payton was at rhe club beacuse there wasnt a spot available in the car-park. By the time we had finished the round word was the locker room was packed with crazed middle ages football fans. Payton was a treat to caddy for. A really nice person and a very handy golfer.