Matt Kuchar's fill-in caddie says he was lowballed after helping Kuchar win $1.2 million
Matt Kuchar took home $1.2 million after winning the Mayakoba Golf Classic in November. His fill-in caddie at the event, David Giral Ortiz, took home a lot less.
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Ortiz filled in for Kuchar’s regular caddie, John Wood, during the Mayakoba Golf Classic and says he received $5,000 from Kuchar following the event.
Ortiz was disappointed by that figure, and reached out to Kuchar’s agent, Mark Steinberg, looking for a “fair amount.” Ortiz said he did not expect to be paid like a full-time caddie, but felt what Kuchar offered was too low.
The 40-year-old Ortiz was initially paid $3,000 by Kuchar, but that offer came with the promise of a bonus based on how well Kuchar performed at the event. It’s the amount of the bonus that has Ortiz miffed, according to Golf.com.
A $3,000 weekly payment for a fill-in local caddie would widely be considered generous pay by Tour standards. The sticking point is the size of the bonus. A Tour caddie typically receives five percent of a player’s winnings, a higher percentage for a top-10 finish and 10 percent for a win. These arrangements are usually handshake deals.
Ortiz said that Kuchar said at the start of the tournament that he would be paid $3,000 for the week, plus an unspecified percentage of his winnings.
On that basis, in the euphoria of victory, Ortiz had hoped to make as much as $130,000. When Kuchar left Mexico, the caddie said, he was under the impression that he would still receive a bonus.
After communicating with Kuchar’s agent, Ortiz was offered an additional $15,000. Ortiz did not accept that offer, saying “they can keep their money.”
Steinberg and Kuchar haven’t spoken much about the dispute publicly. Steinberg said Ortiz’s account was inaccurate, but declined to discuss money. When asked what he paid Ortiz, Kuchar said “that’s not a story,” according to Golf.com.
Ortiz is hoping to receive an additional $45,000 from Kuchar, but told Golf.com he doesn’t expect to get that money.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
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