It must have been hard enough to be a European at Bethpage, but imagine what Joe Skovron must have been through being an American caddying for a Team Europe player. The crowd in New York was certainly ruthless. And it’s a surprise that the veteran caddie doesn’t have that many stories of heckling. But considering his experience playing the Presidents Cup in 2024, he must have learned a thing or two about how to be a looper for the away team. And he would have Max Homa to thank for that.

Skovron joined Shane Bacon & Patrick McDonald on Golf on CBS recently. During their interview, the caddie was asked if it was awkward to carry the bag for Ludvig Aberg in the 2025 Ryder Cup. After confirming that this was his first Ryder Cup with Aberg, Skovron told the hosts, “It’s definitely a unique situation to be in. I had been in that situation with Tom at the Presidents Cup, and that was my first time not wearing U.S. stuff.”

Skovron caddied for South Korean pro, Tom Kim, during the 2024 Presidents Cup when he & the rest of the International side took on Team U.S. However, the competition at the Presidents Cups is far different from the atmosphere in the Ryder Cup, and Joe admitted that: “That was a lot more playful atmosphere, like the guys giving me a hard time. Max requested to play us in singles because he told me he really wanted to play against me more than Tom. He didn’t talk to me the whole day. He’s one of my best friends. He said one thing about how bad one of the pins was.”

Caddying for the opposition team, Skovron didn’t have to worry about heckling from the fans. The atmosphere of the Presidents Cup is a lot more friendly and fun than the Ryder Cup. So everyone was enjoying themselves rather than targeting the caddie for being a traitor. However, there was still one particular individual who made sure Joe knew that he was rooting against his country. And that was Max Homa.

“We laughed about it later. He’s like, I purposely didn’t talk. I was like, I know. So there was a lot of fun with it. It’s a different environment. But I also had to balance there… When you’re working for Rickie (Fowler) or Phil (Mickelson), did something, or Jimmy Walker did something, or Justin Thomas did something, you could get a little bit more fired up. But you know how guys look at it when you’re on the other side, and you just be the calm guy, do the thing. It’s my style anyway, but you’re very conscious of it.”

Skovron was the long-time caddie for Rickie Fowler, and they played a few Ryder Cups together. During their time, Fowler was featured alongside many players like Phil Mickelson, Justin Thomas, & Co., and when any of them made an excellent play, Joe could afford to celebrate along with them. But with Tom Kim, he learned that he can’t afford to celebrate for Team International. Even if the Presidents Cup atmosphere is not as nerve-racking as the Ryder Cup. And that helped him maintain his composure at Bethpage.

“It’s a whole other step up at the Ryder Cup. The emotions, how much people care, and how much more it feels like representing Europe versus the U.S. But I was aware of it when I took the job. There’s been a lot of talk about it.” Skovron understood that if he wasn’t comfortable celebrating for Kim at the Presidents Cup, then he definitely wouldn’t be cheering for his boss, Aberg, at Bethpage. Even though he was rooting for Team Europe to win, he couldn’t express it in a way that other European caddies could because of their citizenship status.

Even then, Joe Skovron would have certainly been targeted had he been paired with certain players from Team Europe in the event. But if Max Homa were around, he wouldn’t have let that happen. Especially considering how good friends they are.

Max Homa’s friendship with Joe Skovron

Max Homa may have pulled a prank on Joe Skovron at the 2024 Presidents Cup. But the fact is, the two are really good friends, whether they play for the same team or as rivals. The PGA Tour pro’s former caddie, Joe Greiner, shared the kind of dynamic they share with each other. “When we’re not at a tournament, Max will hit me up, asking for videos of my putting stroke. You come to town and he’ll pick you up at the airport. And, like, Joe Skovron will be shooting 80, and Max will be grinding on Joe’s golf swing or consulting on one of his putt reads.”

The article on Golf.com also revealed that Skovron counts Homa as one of his closest friends. During an interview, he had said, “What’s so unique about Max, and one of the things I like most about him, is that he feels zero entitlement, but he also has this growth mindset. He’s a guy who constantly wants to get better. He doesn’t have to pretend to be humble; that’s just who he is. But then he has this killer instinct, this need to accomplish things, and he wants to go work for them. That combo just isn’t true of many people in any walk of life.”

While Joe Skovron never caddied for Max Homa, they always seemed to share a friendship far beyond the usual looper and pro dynamic. And that’s why he enjoyed the heckling from the PGA Tour pro in the Presidents Cup. However, it is understandable why the veteran caddie would have been a little more tense at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage. Wouldn’t you agree?