PINEHURST, N.C. (AP) — Michael Greller never imagined that a simple act of kindness eight years ago could lead to a moment like this at the U.S. Open.
Greller, the caddie for Jordan Spieth, stood on the 18th tee at Pinehurst No. 2 on Tuesday and conferred with his 20-year-old boss on an important tee shot in a match they didn't want to lose against Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler.
Moments later, Greller was sharing a laugh with Spieth's partner, 21-year-old Justin Thomas, who is playing in his first U.S. Open.
It was an amazing reunion among two players and one caddie — not because they were together, but the peculiar path that brought them here.
Thomas and Spieth have known each other since 2007, when they battled all summer on the junior circuit and were selected to represent the United States in the Evian Junior Masters in France. Thomas won the 36-hole event, and his reward was to play the Evian Masters pro-am with Juli Inkster. Spieth caddied for him.
They have been close friends ever since, and the needle in their playful banter is sharp.
And it's that friendship that eventually took Greller from teaching math to sixth-graders to being the caddie for the No. 10 player in the world.