Richard Heathcote
Martin Kaymer lines up a putt with caddie Craig Connelly on the third green during the first round of the 2014 Players Championship.

By Alex Myers
After a 2017 golf season that saw several high-profile players change caddies, 2018 has been relatively quiet on the looper front. But now another successful duo, Martin Kaymer and Craig Connelly, is splitting up.

As first reported by Bunkered magazine. Kaymer and Connelly are parting amicably. Kaymer has yet to comment on the personnel change or announce a new caddie, but Connelly confirmed the split on Twitter.

Connelly, nicknamed “the wee man,” was on Kaymer’s bag for both the German’s two major victories, first at the 2010 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits and then at the 2014 U.S. Open at Pinehurst. The two also teamed up to claim the 2014 Players Championship.

The pair seemed to get along great, with Kaymer posting a video of him getting excited to prove Connelly wrong after reaching a par 5 on a second shot in January. And in July, the 33-year-old former World No. 1 said this in an interview with The Telegraph during the Open Championship:

“I am grateful for the relationship I have with my caddie, Craig Connelly. We go through so much together and talk about so much private stuff. The role of the caddie is so important in professional golf. And, without him, I would know nothing about Scottish football.”

Kaymer had been a part of Europe’s four previous Ryder Cup teams, but is in the midst of a down season. The 2010 European Tour Race to Dubai winner is currently only 66th on that points list, while falling to 146th in the Official World Golf Ranking.