Russell Henley caddie: Who carries the sticks for the PGA Tour star?

American Ryder Cup hopeful Russell Henley has veteran Andrew Sanders carrying his clubs.

The five-time PGA Tour winner linked up with Sanders in the middle of the 2022 campaign following his split with Todd Gjesvold.

At the time, Henley claimed he felt a change was needed as he was struggling with his game. 

Since then, Henley and Sanders have achieved notable success on the PGA Tour.  

The golfer's biggest victory to date arrived in February 2025 when he reeled in Collin Morikawa down the stretch to claim Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. 

An emotional Henley was quick to pay tribute to his wife Teil Duncan and Sanders for helping him stay calm and get over the line. 

Scroll down to find out more about Russell Henley's caddie...

Career and experience

Sanders is a highly-experienced caddie. 

He has worked for Jimmy Walker and Jason Schultz. 

He was on the bag for Walker when he won the PGA Championship in 2016.

Coincidentally, the major was held at Baltusrol Golf Course, where Sanders and Walker had first met back in 2000 at the U.S Amateur. 

After Walker won the major, Sanders said: "We knew this is where it started, though. That we would end up winning a major at the first place we met is pretty crazy."

Walker defeated the number one player in the world at the time, Jason Day, by one stroke.

Sanders then worked for Lanto Griffin before he had back issues and needed surgery. 

Griffin's injury left Sanders needing a job and that's when Henley's agent came calling. 

The duo hit it off immediately. 

Background and early career

Sanders played college golf at the University of Houston. 

He was a talented player and qualified for the 2000 U.S. Open when he was 20 years old. 

Tiger Woods won the major that year by a record 15 strokes. 

Personal insights and relationship with the player

One of the things Henley wanted to change about his game was his ability to deal with pressure. 

In media interviews, Henley admitted that he had choked down the stretch in several tournaments having got in contention. 

Henley wanted Sanders to help him change that. 

Speaking after Henley won the 2022 World Wide Technology Championship, Sanders said: “I could tell that he was definitely battling some stuff when we were out in contention, and we just did a really good job of coming up with a game plan before we teed off and making sure we stuck to it.

"And I think that just gives you confidence in the heat of the moment, to fall back on the gameplan and think, 'ok we talked about this, this is what we're going to do.'"

The World Wide Technology Championship victory was Henley's first win on the PGA Tour in five years, having won three events between 2013 and 2017.

Sanders also revealed that Henley's ball-striking ability was so good that he even switched from regularly hitting draws to fades mid-tournament.

"It's really impressive," he said. "He's kinda of a machine, so to speak. 

"I learned last week that he was an all-state basketball player, and you can kinda tell just by the way he plays that he is an athlete.

"When I first started working for him, he was hitting draws, and we decided a tournament ago, right in the middle of the tournament at Congaree, that he was going to start hitting fades.

"He didn't do anything physically to do it, he just went 'Alright, I'll just aim down the left side and hit fades'. 

"And he just did it, just like that. Some golfers find it hard to transition, but he made it very easy."

Salary and earnings

It is understood that Sanders' arrangement with Henley is similar to others on the PGA Tour. 

PGA Tour caddies can expect to be paid an annual salary plus bonuses. 

Player-caddie chemistry

Sanders has discussed what it's like to caddie for Henley and the joy he gets from working with him out on the golf course.

"One thing that he is great at is that he is willing to do anything to get better, which is awesome," he said.

"It's been a very seamless transition, and he's been a blast to work for on the course. 

"He lets me do what I need to do; he appreciates all the stuff that I give back to him - it's been really exciting."

Caddie changes and career moves

Before Sanders, Henley used to have Todd Gjesvold carrying his sticks.

Henley and Gjesvold were together for six years. 

He also had a stint with Adam Hayes before he was pinched by Jon Rahm. 

Personal life

Sanders is from Cincinnati but is a Houston Astros fan more than likely due to him attending the University of Houston.