John Marshall Butler, a 24-year-old who turned professional in 2024, made his Korn Ferry Tour debut on January 11 with a bogey-free 10-under-par 62.

After the round, Butler advised fellow players to consider having their spouses on the bag. John Marshall Butler, speaking after his opening round on the Korn Ferry Tour, said:

“The best thing ever. And if anybody else has a wife, I recommend they caddy because she’s done pretty good. The first time she caddied was in Mexico last year, and we ended up winning that event.”

Butler earned his first professional victory at the 2025 Bupa Championship in Mexico City. The win came with a tournament total of 19-under-par 269, finishing one stroke ahead of the field.

As a result of the victory, Butler moved to No. 1 on the PGA TOUR Americas Fortinet Cup points list at the time. During this win, Butler’s caddie was none other than his wife, Demi Hester Butler.

“It just makes it a lot of fun because everyone knows how frustrating and stressful this game can be and how much of a mental game it is, and she just keeps everything relaxed,” Butler said during the interaction.

After winning in Mexico in 2025 with his wife on the bag, John Marshall Butler again opened with a low round on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2026, with his wife serving as his caddie once more.

Butler acknowledged her input during the round and pointed to a key moment that influenced his scoring.

“Today she had a great read on the par-3 12th. I hit it in there about 10 to 12 feet short of the hole, and she asked what I thought it would do. I said it was pretty straight. She told me to look at it from farther back. I did, saw a little grain and slope, played it on the right edge, and it went in dead center. She helped a lot today.”

John Marshall Butler is currently co-leading in his Korn Ferry Tour 2026 debut at The Bahamas Golf Classic at Atlantis Paradise Island. 

In the opening round, he posted a bogey-free 10-under-par 62, which places him tied for first alongside Justin Suh.

Butler is not the only professional golfer who has credited a spouse for support while caddying.

Other than John Marshall Butler, Lee Westwood has also credited his wife for her role as his caddie

Lee Westwood has credited his wife, Helen Storey, for helping him manage the mental aspects of competition and remain focused during rounds.

Their on-course partnership began in 2018. Helen Storey, who previously worked as a fitness consultant, had limited technical golf knowledge when she first began caddying. 

However, she understood how Lee Westwood approached the mental side of the game.

As a result, her role on the bag has focused on psychological support rather than technical responsibilities such as yardages or club selection, which Westwood manages himself. 

She helps regulate focus during the round, often easing pressure between shots and assisting with transitions in concentration.

Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Joyita Das