Jim “Bones” Mackay is lightening his load once again – from 14 clubs in a PGA Tour bag to simply a microphone.
Sam Flood, the executive producer of NBC Sports and president of production, confirmed on a conference call with media that Bones is back full time as part of a multi-year deal.
“He will be part of NBC Sports for years to come as we’re going to partner for a long time with him,” Flood said.
Bones previously had been announced as part of the broadcast team for NBC Spots/Golf Channel’s coverage of the U.S. Open next week at Pinehurst No. 2, where he caddied for Phil Mickelson in the final group in 1999 and finished second as well as in 2005 and 2014.
“It’s great for me and I couldn’t be happier about the situation,” Bones said in a separate phone call with Golfweek. “In terms of where I am in my life this is the perfect scenario for me and I couldn’t be more pleased.”
Bones, 59, is regarded as one of the most popular and best caddies in the game. He spent a stretch of 25 years as caddie for Mickelson before joining NBC in 2017 as an on-course reporter and quickly becoming one of the best in the business in that role. He took a step back from his TV gig to join forces with Justin Thomas in September 2021. They won one title together – the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills.
Their partnership ended after the Valspar Championship in March. When Thomas had been off, Bones still did TV from time to time for NBC, including for the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship last year, and he served as the lead analyst for the Tour’s Mexico Open, the first time an active caddie has ever filled that role.
“I’m going to do several (tournaments) this year,” said Bones of an NBC schedule that still includes the British Open, all three of the FedEx Cup Playoff events and late-season unofficial events such as the Hero World Challenge and PNC Championship. “It’s a bit TBD and will have a more well-established schedule the next few years.”
Bones said he’s game for whatever Flood and longtime NBC golf producer Tommy Roy, who first hired him for a tryout role at the 2015 RSM Classic, want him to do but he expects to contribute mostly as an on-course reporter. Asked whether he will still pursue caddying, he said, “Television is my No. 1 priority and I’ll do what I did before – if someone is sick or between caddies and needs a guy for a week and it’s not an NBC event, then I’d be happy to help out, but beyond that I will be doing TV primarily as far as what I do for a living.”
