Silhouette of a golf caddie
Hickory, N.C. - Scott Steele, a popular pro golf caddy who worked for Larry Mize when he won the 1987 Masters, has died of a heart attack. He was 55.
The PGA Tour said Steele had a heart attack Oct. 14 in the parking lot at the Champions' Tour Greater Hickory Golf Classic, where he was working for Kirk Triplett. He was placed in a medically-induced coma to help his recovery. Steele died Friday night.
Players, officials and caddies wore black ribbons at the PGA Tour's McGladrey Classic on Sunday in his honour.
"It didn't matter if you were a major champion or a Monday qualifier, you always got his best game," Triplett said. "He may be gone but he will continue to be an inspiration to me and many others for a long time to come."
Tim Herron and Canadian Jim Nelford were among tour players for whom Steele worked.
"Scotty was one of the finest caddies the PGA Tour has ever seen," Nelford said in a post to pgatour.com. "If there was a caddy Hall of Fame, he and [Tom Watson's long-time caddy] Bruce Edwards would be the first inducted. High moral character and work ethic. He made every player better, no matter who he worked for."
PGA Tour player David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., added, via Twitter: "We will all miss long-time caddy and all-round good guy Scotty Steele."
In Perth, Australia, American Bo Van Pelt dedicated his victory Sunday at the Perth International to Steele.
"It was tough news this morning," Van Pelt said Sunday after his victory at the European Tour event. "I found out off of Twitter, some of the other caddies and players that I follow, I knew he had had a heart attack earlier in the week. To see that he had passed on was tough news. Scotty has been great to me ever since I was a rookie."