Golf may look like a solo sport. But success on the course often depends on a quiet partnership built on trust, timing, and instinct. The partnership between a golfer and their caddie is significant. Although caddies stand behind athletes, they know their game as much as the golfers themselves. But Tom McKibbin went for someone who doesn’t just know his game but knows himself, too.

McKibbin had veteran caddie Dave McNeilly on the bag until 2024. McNeilly had caddied for elite golfers, including Nick Faldo, John Daly, Nick Price, and Padraig Harrington. But towards the end of 2024, McKibbin switched to his friend for Ricky McCormick.

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Who is Tom McKibbin’s caddie, Ricky McCormick?

Ricky McCormick is a golf caddie based at Holywood Golf Club near Belfast in Northern Ireland, which also happens to be McKibbin’s birthplace. He attended Sullivan Upper School. It is a co-ed school located on the edge of Holywood, Northern Ireland. After completing his education at Sullivan Upper School, McCormick attended the University of Birmingham.

McCormick is married and has a son and a daughter. His son, Mason, was born in 2021. Ricky uploaded an Instagram post in March 2022 of him carrying Mason. He was in a Liverpool jersey and was posing in front of some trophies, with the caption saying, “Happy 1st Birthday Mason! #myweemate.” In August 2022, he welcomed his second child, this time a daughter. He announced her arrival with an Instagram post with a caption that read, “Francesca Joy McCormick 💕 06/08/22.”

Besides this, there’s no other publicly available personal information about Tom McKibbin’s caddy. His date of birth or his wife’s name is not widely known to the public.

Ricky McCormick’s journey to becoming Tom McKibbin’s caddy

McCormick pursued a 3-year foundation degree in professional golf at the University of Birmingham. It is reputed as one of the best golf courses in the UK. After his degree, he joined the Holywood Golf Club, Northern Ireland, as a golf pro. Holywood Golf Club is likely where he developed his career and expertise in golf.

Tom McKibbin’s caddy’s LinkedIn profile shows that he is still associated with the golf club where he used to work. The profile states that he is currently the assistant general manager at Holywood Golf Club. However, he joined Tom McKibbin on his bag in 2024, before the Amgen Irish Open.

“Yeah, just sort of needed to switch it up a little bit,” McKibbin said, switching Dave Neilly with his new caddy, Ricky McCormick. “He’s someone who knows my game quite well, and he’s caddied for me before, so I’m very comfortable with him, and he does a good job for me.”

The comments reflect that McCormick and McKibbin knew each other quite well. Both were from Belfast, Northern Ireland. In fact, McKibbin spent his early years playing at Holywood Golf Club in County Down. That’s probably where the two met, and they have known each other since then. McCormick had caddied for McKibbin for two weeks in 2021 before officially joining him in 2024.

Tom McKibbin brought a fresh perspective and deep familiarity with McKibbin’s game by joining him on the bag.

How Tom McKibbin’s caddie supports him

McKibbin had missed a few cuts before bringing in McCormick. In the 2024 Scottish Open, he finished at T75 in mid-July. A week later, he barely made the cut in the 152nd OPEN and finished at T66. Then in mid-August, he finished T76 at the 2024 D+D Real Czech Masters. After performing better in the Danish Golf Championship, he again finished T116 at the 2024 Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo. That’s when he decided to bring in McCormick before the Irish Open.

Since joining McKibbin’s team, McCormick has helped stabilize and improve McKibbin’s consistency and confidence. McKibbin’s performance improved soon after McCormick joined. He finished T30, T10, T43, T27, T43, T10, and T11 in the remaining 2024 tournaments on the DP World Tour. His 2025 season has also been amazing with finishes like 4 at the Spanish Open, T3 at the Porsche Singapore Classic, T6 at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, and T11 at the BMW PGA Championship.

McKibbin has acknowledged Ricky’s support, saying, “Ricky, I’ve known him for 10, 11, 12 years. Someone who knows my game quite well, and he’s caddied for me before. I’m very comfortable with him, and he does a good job for me.”

The Irish golfer then joined LIV in 2025, and McCormick supported him in this transition. McKibbin joined Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII, and he is performing well here, too, with the support from the man on the bag. While the Irish golfer finished the season in 20th position, his team became the champions. As part of LIV Golf, Tom McKibbin’s caddy and he himself continue to play on the International Series. Currently, he is performing well at the 2025 Link Hong Kong Open, which again shows the continued improvement in his game since McCormick’s arrival.

A peek into Ricky’s lifestyle

Ricky McCormick keeps his personal life private. He hasn’t shared much about his life or lifestyle in the media or on social media platforms. However, some of his Instagram posts reveal that he likes to spend time with his friends and family. A lot of his posts feature his parents, his wife, and his two kids. Besides them, he has also shared posts with his friends at some events. One thing is that he is a hardcore Liverpool Football Club fan. Many Instagram posts on his handle feature him wearing a Liverpool F.C. jersey. But besides that, there’s not much revealed about his lifestyle.