PGA Tour pro C.T. Pan encountered a unique challenge in the final round of the RBC Canadian Open when his veteran caddie, Mike "Fluff" Cowan, suffered an injury. Pan ended up using three different caddies during the round, including a local fan and a regular Tour caddie.
C.T. Pan's final round at the RBC Canadian Open on Sunday took an unexpected turn when his longtime caddie, Mike "Fluff" Cowan, slipped and injured his leg on the third fairway. Despite the injury not being serious, Cowan, 76, was unable to continue carrying Pan's bag for the rest of the day.
Cowan is a highly respected figure among PGA Tour caddies, having worked with Jim Furyk for over two decades. He has also caddied for Tiger Woods and Peter Jacobsen throughout his career.
With Cowan unable to continue, Pan needed a replacement. Enter Paul Emerson, a local golf fan who stepped in to the role after witnessing Cowan's injury. Emerson, a self-proclaimed "golf nerd," was eager to help Pan, who gladly accepted his assistance.
"I helped Fluff get the bib off, threw it on and started walking up the hole," Emerson said.
The PGA Tour rules allowed for Emerson to fill in as Pan's caddie. However, his services were short-lived. Tournament officials quickly became aware of the situation and assigned a member of the caddie services team to replace Emerson on the fifth hole.
Despite the interruption, Pan remained focused on his game and recruited Al Riddell, who regularly caddies for Paul Bargon on Tour and lived near the course, to carry his bag on the back nine. Riddell became Pan's fourth caddie for the day and accompanied him to the finish.
Pan finished with a 1-under 69 in his final round, which included an eagle on Hole 12 that brought him up to two-under for the round. However, his overall tournament performance was not as strong, as he finished 3-under for the entire event, 13 shots behind the eventual winner, Robert MacIntyre.
Despite the challenges he faced on the final day, Pan expressed gratitude for the help he received from Emerson and Riddell.
"I'm just happy that I was able to finish the round and have some fun with Paul and Al," Pan said. "They were both great caddies and helped me out a lot."
The incident highlighted the camaraderie and adaptability within the PGA Tour community. Despite Cowan's unfortunate injury, Pan was able to complete his round with the assistance of dedicated caddies who stepped up to the challenge.
