For five years, Mark Urbanek was a constant presence on Tony Finau’s bag, through career highs, breakthrough wins, and near-misses on golf’s biggest stages. Having only won once in his first seven years on the PGA Tour, Finau found a winning formula with Urbanek on the bag, capturing five titles in less than two years. But at the recent Open Championship, eagle-eyed observers noticed something had changed. Urbanek was nowhere to be seen, and while Finau offered little detail at the time, it was clear a shift was underway. Now, that change is official, marking the end of a long-standing partnership that had defined much of Finau’s recent career.

Nearly three weeks ago at Royal Portrush, Tony Finau was without his usual caddie, and it left many curious. When asked about it during the tournament, Finau was candid but guarded — “Urbs is not actually caddying for me this week,” he said. And instead, Finau opted to go for a local caddie to help him out for the week. “Local, he’s an Irishman,” Finau said, referring to his temporary replacement from the Portrush area. At the time, nothing was confirmed, but the signs pointed to a looming change.

This week, the change became official. Finau has parted ways with his longtime caddie, Mark Urbanek, ending a five-year partnership that spanned some of the most successful years of his career. First reported by Adam Schupak, Finau is set to have veteran caddie Tim Tucker on the bag at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Urbanek, meanwhile, has already landed on his feet — he’s caddying for Collin Morikawa this week. Urbanek would be Morikawa’s fifth different caddie this season since his split with J.J. Jakovac.

The split between Tony Finau and Mark Urbanek comes amid a stretch of underwhelming results for Finau. He hasn’t tasted victory since the 2023 Mexico Open, where Finau edged out Spaniard Jon Rahm by three strokes, who was World No.3 at the time before moving to LIV. Despite solid play and frequent contention, Finau has struggled to convert opportunities into wins. Since his win in 2023, he has had 9 top ten finishes, including a runner-up finish at the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open. But the frustrations have been building, and this year, Finau’s best finish was tied 5th at the Genesis Invitational. At The Open, despite an encouraging start, Finau finished tied for 56th. “I’m not playing the golf that I know that I’m capable of coming into this week,” he said. This result felt symbolic of the struggles that have characterized his last two seasons.

The decision to move on from his long-time looper, Mark Urbanek, appears to be part of a broader attempt to reset. Now, with the FedEx Cup Playoffs looming and Tim Tucker (who has previously caddied for Bryson DeChambeau) stepping in, Finau appears ready to turn the page. Whether this new chapter sparks a resurgence is uncertain, but one thing is clear — Finau is ready to take control of his trajectory after two years of stalled progress.

While there’s no clear reason for this decision, it’s important to look back at the successful partnership Finau shared with Urbanek — a collaboration that marked the most productive stretch of his career.

Tony Finau’s partnership with Mark Urbanek

When Tony Finau teamed up with caddie Mark Urbanek in 2020 at the PGA Championship, few could have predicted the turnaround that would follow. Up to that point, Finau had just one PGA Tour win, the 2016 Puerto Rico Open, despite being one of the most consistent performers on Tour. But with Urbanek on the bag, Finau finally found the winning edge he had long been searching for. The partnership delivered immediate results, culminating in five PGA Tour victories in less than two years, starting with a win at the 2021 Northern Trust. It ended a five-year drought and silenced the narrative that he couldn’t close on Sundays. That year, Finau had eight top-1o finishes.

From there, he went on a tear, adding multiple titles and solidifying his place as a top-tier competitor. In 2022, he had seven top-10 finishes, which included two runner-up finishes and two back-to-back wins at the 2022 3M Open and the Rocket Classic. It was evident that Urbanek became a key figure in Finau’s rise, offering not only strategic insight but also a calming presence that seemed to free Finau to play his best golf. Their time together wasn’t just about wins; it was about breaking through long-standing barriers. With Urbanek, Finau reached new career highs and finally started converting his undeniable talent into tangible results. Their success was a testament to trust, patience, and a shared belief in what was possible.