It’s been a revolving door of caddies for Collin Morikawa this season. The veteran has been trying to find his footing since the start of the year — and although there have been some hits and misses, the consistency that gave Morikawa his name has been tapering off. With a fifth caddie change this year, the veteran American has now shaken hands with Mark Urbanek.

Yes, Mark Urbanek, known for caddying for Tony Finau for the last five years. This sudden change came as a surprise to many in the golf world. Partially because there weren’t any announcements from either Finau’s or Urbanek’s side over their sudden split. But once the latter was seen practicing with Morikawa in the early weeks of August, as reported by Jason Sobel on X, it became clear. Although the specific reasons for the Finau-Urbanek duo to part ways have not officially been explained, this separation reportedly happened during The Open Championship 2025. Murmurs from the golf circuit point to Finau’s challenging season as the main reason for the split. The 35-year-old could only make one top-10 finish in 19 starts, and was also in danger of missing the Tour Championship for the first time since the 2015-16 season. Well, this opened a window for Collin Morikawa, who ended his partnership with Billy Foster, and grabbed it.

In spite of the fact that Urbanek couldn’t help yield many results for Finau, this shouldn’t cast any doubt on the New Jerseyan’s ‘caddymanship‘. Mark Urbanek has been around the PGA Tour long enough to know the grind. And if history is anything to go by, he’s just what Morikawa needs.

Mark Urbanek’s early fairways

Growing up in Princeton, Urbanek played collegiate golf at the College of William and Mary in Virginia. Since then, he has maintained a scratch golf handicap. His greatest golf memory, when asked by The Caddie Network, was, “Shooting a course record 62 to win my home course club championship.“

This is what gave way to an enriching career, spanning over a decade. His caddying stint started with the likes of James Hahn, Charlie Wi, and Matt Davidson, and it wasn’t until Hahn’s first victory at the 2015 Northern Trust Open that the spotlight turned on Urbanek. 5 years later, he partnered up with Tony Finau— his longest and most fruitful run.

Mark Urbanek joined Finau’s team at the 2020 PGA Championship, and in less than two years with Urbanek on the bag, the veteran American captured five PGA Tour victories! Before that, Finau only had the 2016 Puerto Rico Open on his resume. Their first breakthrough came at the 2021 Northern Trust, ending Finau’s five-year winless drought. This was followed by additional wins, including back-to-back trophies at the 2022 3M Open and the Rocket Mortgage Classic, plus the 2023 Mexico Open, where Finau defeated Jon Rahm by three strokes.

“I’m 10 years older than him, but I look up to him. He’s the real deal…what he’s been able to accomplish and how humble he is, he’s just an unbelievable human. He’s an unbelievable golfer, obviously, but as a person, it’s fun to be around him, and I look up to him myself,” Urbanek said about Finau, after their 3M Open victory.

Together, the duo has racked up nearly $28 million in earnings. With the standard caddie cut hovering around 5-10 percent, depending on the finish, Urbanek’s share would likely have been somewhere around a whopping $1.5 million. Being a dedicated caddy, Urbanek also followed Finau outside of the regular tour events, especially during the 2021 Ryder Cup.  This determination seeps into other parts of his life as well. As devoted as he is to his job, Urbanek is also a devout family man.

His life beyond the golf course

Although not much is known about Urbanek’s personal life, he doesn’t shy away from posting glimpses from his marital bliss on his Instagram account. Urbanek married his wife, Morgan Williams, on 11 December 2020, and a year later, the couple welcomed their daughter, Prescott Avrie Urbanek. The year when Morgan was expecting Prescott, Urbanek skipped the 2021 Hero World Challenge to stay at home with her. Finau went with Ryan Smith as a temporary caddie for that event.

While the job demands a lot of travel, early mornings, and endless yardage calculations, Urbanek’s life isn’t all golf. He enjoys hiking, reading, fitness, and traveling. He’s said that if he weren’t a caddie, he’d probably work as a physical trainer. It’s that same drive that makes him valuable inside the ropes. He’s also a fan of baseball and American football, and supports the New York Mets and Jets.

Now, Urbanek steps in as Collin Morikawa’s fifth caddie of 2025, debuting at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Coincidentally, one of his accolades with Tony Finau includes a FedEx Cup Playoff title as well (The Northern Trust in 2021). So, whether this new partnership will provide the much-needed stability Morikawa seeks remains to be seen. And if the past is any indicator, Urbanek’s the kind of caddie who can help turn Morikawa’s close call into a Sunday win.