Posted on 10/01/2015 7:36:13 AM PDT by Zuben Elgenubi
Jordan Spieth's caddie and former sixth-grade teacher, Michael Greller, has likely made $2 million this season. Yeah, just let that sink in.
Greller's earnings would rank 39th on the PGA Tour money list, as the Big Lead's Michael Shamburger determined—not a bad deal for someone who left a stable career to gamble on the then-top-ranked amateur golfer.
Based on the $50,000 starting salary for Dallas teachers, per the Dallas Morning News, it would take Greller decades to earn as much as he was estimated to have pocketed in 25 PGA Tour events with Spieth.
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Having your former teacher carry your stuff around, if that’s not the American dream, I don’t know what is. ;)
Nobody knows what Greller’s contract really is. While the lower-level players pay a straight 10%, I would imagine that the top players offer complicated contracts that depend on different contingencies. There may be a guaranteed minimum but a phase-out at the top end.
Geller probably has made as much as Phil Mickelson in 2015.
Since the caddie usually wears the golfer’s sponsored logo gear, I expect they get a slice of that deal, too.
If you ever watch Spieth and Greller interact, it is just great to watch. They talk, they listen, and Greller is always encouraging, keeping Spieth focused and confident. Consummate teammates, although obviously it is Spieth who ultimately swings the club.
And in press conferences, Spieth always speaks in the third person - “we” this, and “we” that, and clearly it is not a royal “we”. He fully embraces the concept of team, and fully understands that it is not just him out there making shots. His success is the culmination of many people’s inputs, not the least of which is Greller the caddie. I’m sure Spieth feels Greller is worth every penny.
And it won’t be long, if he isn’t there already, before his endorsement earnings surpass and ultimately dwarf his prize money earnings.
All very good points in your commentary on Spieth's team approach.
As to long term earnings, CBS Sports reported back in mid-summer that "Dan Patrick recently had a good debate on his radio show about whether Nike would trade Rory McIlroy to Under Armour to have Spieth. That the debate is even viable means that Spieth's Under Armour contract is probably in the ballpark of the $200 million one McIlroy reportedly received from Nike."
I always figured that when Woods was at the peak of his career, his caddy was probably 2nd in earnings on the tour.......
“Spieth’s Under Armour contract is probably in the ballpark of the $200 million one McIlroy reportedly received from Nike”
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Yeah, I could live on 10% of that. (Athough I’m sure Greller’s percentage on endorsements is much less than that, if he indeed gets anything at all.)
I could be a caddy.
Caddy to golfer: Over there is the hole. Hit the ball towards the hole.
It's A LOT more complicated than that.
I made it easy for the golfer to understand.
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