Longtime caddie Bones Mackay gives 'secret' Masters rooting interest, intel on technology in the sport

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Bones Mackay is back at Augusta National this week, a course where he caddied Phil Mickelson to three green jackets.

The 59-year-old caddie didn't make the trip last year, as he and Justin Thomas separated just a week before the tournament after roughly two-and-a-half years of working together.

But now, as an analyst for NBC again, he's on the call for the tradition unlike any other.

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Jim "Bones" Mackay walks to the putting green during a practice round for The Masters at Augusta National Golf Club. (Kyle Terada-USA Today Network)

And, like many of us, he has one specific rooting interest.

"I think Scottie Scheffler’s the favorite, but no question Rory McIlroy is the sentimental favorite," Mackay said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital. "You would hate to see a guy like Rory play his entire career and not win the Masters and reap the benefits of the champions dinner and having that green jacket. He’s too good a guy and has done too much to the game for that not to happen. As much as Scottie is the betting favorite, I secretly will be rooting for Rory to have a good week."

This year, McIlroy is able to use IBM Hole Insights to try to get that long-coveted jacket. IBM Hole Insights 2.0 leverages watsonx technologies, including the Granite LLM, to offer data-driven insights around every shot taken on every hole at Augusta National.

Golfers, and even fans, can see over 180,000 past shots and ball positions to give context for each hole as well as insights from past Masters Tournament caddies.

Golf Channel on-course reporter Bones Mackay during the first round of the Sony Open