Veteran Caddie Once Got Honest About What It Meant to Finally Win a Major After 40 Years
DETROIT, MI - JULY 03: A silhouette of PGA, Golf Herren golfer Phil Mickelson as hits a shot on the 7th hole on July 3, 2021 during the Rocket Mortgage Classic at the Detroit Golf Club in Detroit, Michigan. Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire GOLF: JUL 03 PGA - Rocket Mortgage Classic Icon21070341
DETROIT, MI - JULY 03: A silhouette of PGA, Golf Herren golfer Phil Mickelson as hits a shot on the 7th hole on July 3, 2021 during the Rocket Mortgage Classic at the Detroit Golf Club in Detroit, Michigan. Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire GOLF: JUL 03 PGA - Rocket Mortgage Classic Icon21070341
Winning a major after 40 years wasn't about glory for one veteran caddie. It was about something else entirely.
Billy Foster, after four decades on the bag, finally reached the pinnacle at the 2022 U.S. Open, but his reaction wasn't what anyone expected.
At the 2022 Valspar Championship, Billy Foster shared that he had caddied for 45 winners during his four decades on the bag. It was an impressive number. Still, one thing was missing: a major championship. But that changed later that year at the 122nd U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Two golfers rejoice after hitting the hole at sunset silhouetted. Golden morning sky in winter, misty high mountain background. model released
Two golfers rejoice after hitting the hole at sunset silhouetted. Golden morning sky in winter, misty high mountain background. model released
It was when Foster was on the bag for Matt Fitzpatrick, who went on to win the title. Yet, when the moment finally arrived, Foster felt something unexpected.
Speaking on the October 21, 2025, episode of The Rick Shiels Golf Show, Foster explained what the win truly meant to him. “In the end, there was no excitement. No enjoyment. No punching the air,” Foster said.
“It was just relief. Thank God for that. I looked at it thinking I might stop caddying at 60. That’s probably 12 majors left.” He continued, “It was such a surreal experience. No excitement—just utter relief. All these visions of Thomas Bjørn in that bunker at Sandwich and Westwood three-putting in the last at September just floated into my head. I thought, thank God for that.”
Well, Foster’s reaction made sense. No doubt, the U.S. Open at Brookline was brutally difficult. That’s because the world’s best golfers struggled, and avoiding mistakes mattered far more than chasing birdies.
In such extreme conditions, Fitzpatrick and Will Zalatoris handled the pressure better than anyone else.
How Foster Helped Fitzpatrick Win?
Foster read the yardage and told Fitzpatrick which clubs to use where. As a result, Fitzpatrick shot a steady 68. He closed strong with three birdies late in the round. He finished at four-under par, setting up a tense final-round duel with Zalatoris.
But as Zalatoris narrowly missed his birdie putt on the 18th hole, Fitzpatrick was crowned U.S. Open champion. And with watery eyes, Foster walked to the pin and kissed the lower-right corner of the flagstick at 18.
After 40 years on the bag, it wasn’t a celebration that defined the moment for him. It was relief, and the quiet satisfaction of finally getting there.
Written by
Yashika Dutta
Edited by
Oajaswini Prabhu