In July 2025, Morikawa made a bold choice for the Genesis Scottish Open and the Open Championship by teaming up with Billy Foster, a legendary caddie with decades of experience.
Billy Foster has worked with major champions like Seve Ballesteros, Darren Clarke, and Matt Fitzpatrick, bringing a wealth of knowledge to Morikawa’s team.
This move came after a difficult series of caddie switches during the last few months. Morikawa hoped Foster’s experience could enable him to challenge for another Claret Jug at the Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
Meanwhile, the golf world buzzed with excitement about this new partnership, as Foster’s set record might gain an uplift to Morikawa in majors.
This pairing comes after Morikawa recently parted ways with his previous caddie, Joe Greiner, and had a temporary stint with former college teammate K.K. Limbhasut.
Collin Morikawa Worked With Caddie JJ Jakovac From The Start Of His Pro Career Until Their Split In April 2025!
Collin Morikawa is one of the respected stars in professional golf, known for his major championship wins; however, behind every golfer is a trusted caddie.
Morikawa turned pro in 2019 and quickly became a top player, winning six PGA Tour events, including two major championships: the 2020 PGA Championship and the 2021 Open Championship.
Known for his precise iron play, Morikawa is currently ranked fifth in the world.
From the beginning of his professional career in 2019 until April 2025, Morikawa worked with caddie Jonathan “J.J.” Jakovac.
Jakovac, a former college golfer himself, was with Morikawa for all six of his PGA Tour wins, including the two majors.
It was Jakovac’s experience, which included caddying for other pros like Ryan Moore, that helped Morikawa navigate tough courses and high-pressure moments.
In 2021, when Morikawa won the Open Championship, Jakovac celebrated his 39th birthday on the same day. Morikawa even led the crowd in singing “Happy Birthday” to his caddie after the victory.
Nonetheless, by April 2025, Morikawa felt something wasn’t clicking on the course. Even though he was playing well, with two second-place finishes in 2025, he decided to part ways with Jakovac.
The golfer explained that he needed a change to improve his game, saying:
Sometimes things just aren’t feeling right… even if everything looks good on paper. When you’re out there, you want to be vibing really, really well. I think we were both holding back in a way, where we just weren’t vibing.
After splitting with Jakovac, Morikawa hired Joe Greiner as his caddie in April 2025. Greiner was a familiar face on the PGA Tour, having worked with Max Homa for years and briefly with Justin Thomas, helping him earn the 2025 RBC Heritage.
Collin Morikawa Teamed With Joe Greiner And KK Limbhasut Before Hiring Legendary Caddie Billy Foster!
Morikawa and Greiner knew each other, and Morikawa and Homa are friends and former teammates at the University of California, Berkeley.
Greiner started with Morikawa at the Truist Championship in May 2025, where Morikawa shot a great 7-under 63 in the first round, showing early promise.
Morikawa liked Greiner’s eagerness to learn and improve, however, after five tournaments together, the partnership didn’t work out.
The golfer said they were “on a different page” and decided to move on before the Rocket Classic in June 2025. Despite making every cut with Greiner, Morikawa’s best finish was a tie for 17th, and he felt he needed a better connection with his caddie.
For the Rocket Classic in Detroit, Morikawa turned to his friend and former college teammate, KK Limbhasut, to caddie for him.
Limbhasut, a 29-year-old pro on the Korn Ferry Tour, was a temporary fill-in.
Morikawa called it a fun opportunity to work with a friend, saying they would “have a blast” together. Limbhasut stepped in because he didn’t qualify for a Korn Ferry event that week, and Morikawa appreciated his help during the short-term arrangement.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Morikawa won both the 2020 PGA Championship and the 2021 Open Championship in his first-ever appearances at those majors.
- He became the youngest PGA Champion since Rory McIlroy in 2012, winning at age 23.
