Mitchell Theoret recently received a thoughtful gift from his boss for his 30th birthday.
Was it a day off, maybe a raise, or perhaps a promotion for the former Colts forward?
Nope.
“Happy birthday!” read the note, in neat, upper-case script, with a stash of American $20 bills tucked inside.
“I’m going to be nice to you for 18 holes, they may not all be today though (now) go buy some shoes.”
It was penned by Taylor Pendrith, the long bomber from Richmond Hill, who is competing at the RBC Canadian Open this weekend with Theoret as his caddie.
Theoret has worked for Pendrith for about five years, split evenly between the PGA Tour and the two feeder tours to get to golf’s highest rung, the Mackenzie and Korn Ferry circuits.
“We met through my best friend,” explained Pendrith. “He and Mitch are cousins … He has really (grown) in the job.”
Barrie hockey fans will remember Theoret as a vital piece of the 2013 Eastern Conference champion team that lost to the London Knights on a last-second goal in Game 7 of the OHL final. Theoret scored 14 goals for the Colts that memorable spring. It was the second consecutive OHL final appearance for Theoret, who played for Marty Williamson in Niagara for the IceDogs, losing in the 2012 championship series to the Knights as well.
“A lot of good memories. That run we had to the cup final to lose with, what, point-three seconds left?” Theoret remembered with a slight shake of the head.
A draft pick of the New York Islanders in 2011, Theoret was a big, agitating presence to start his OHL career but evolved into a solid offensive threat in Barrie.
In 107 regular-season and playoff games with the Colts, he produced at almost a point-a-game pace (38 goals, 54 assists). Left unsigned by the Isles, he played in Europe and then came home and suited up for two Canadian university teams.
He wasn’t so much looking for a caddie gig, but there are worse jobs.
“Ten years ago,” he explained in reference to his hockey career and his time in Barrie, “if you would have asked me what I would be doing when I turned 30, I wouldn’t have said this.”
Theoret, who was born in Montreal and grew up in Kitchener, is staying this week with his former IceDogs teammate, Anaheim Ducks forward Ryan Strome. Pendrith, Strome, his younger brother, Dylan Strome, the Washington Capitals forward, and Theoret played a round together recently.
Pendrith broke 70. All three hockey players scraped inside 90.
“I’m about an eight (handicap),” said Theoret, who added he only manages to peg it about 10 times a year.
To those who don’t follow elite golf closely, it can be difficult to quantify the role of a caddie. Since a hockey comparison is appropriate, picture a combination of equipment manager and mental coach.
For a one-person team. Half-science, half-art. Sometimes you’re a blunt-force instrument, and then a deft touch is required. The contrast could describe Theoret’s evolution as an OHL player.
“I have to be the mentally strong one,” explained Theoret, “… and dig him out of the funk if he gets into one. But he’s also pretty mentally tough.”
Pendrith was part of one of the tournament’s marquee groups on Thursday and Friday, along with Canadian legend/Masters champ Mike Weir and former U.S. Open winner Geoff Ogilvy. With the cut made — Pendrith was three-under after the second round, two shots inside the scissor line — Pendrith went out with former Open champion Shane Lowry on Saturday.
Three days, three major champions. Not bad company.
As of this writing, Pendrith was in the middle of the pack at Oakdale but could wiggle into contention by going low on Sunday.
“He could be one of the best players (on the PGA Tour),” Theoret said of his boss. “He has everything, he pounds the ball a mile, has an incredibly good touch around the green, and when his putter gets hot, (look out) like in Detroit (last season).”
Theoret was referring to Pendrith’s solo-second showing last summer, which remains their partnership’s high-water mark, and where they will return in a few weeks.
First, a big week awaits in Los Angeles at the U.S. Open, where Pendrith is set to compete in his fourth major championship. He also made the International squad for last fall’s Presidents Cup. Though it didn’t go as planned — Pendrith went 0-for-4 — his outstanding play last summer earned him a captain’s selection.
It also earned both men some serious cash.
Pendrith is approaching the $4-million (all figures U.S.) in his PGA Tour career in just 49 starts as a pro. It’s fair to say Theoret is earning more money looping than he ever did playing hockey; a caddie typically earns about five per cent of his player’s earnings — more for higher finishes.
“It started with me wanting to carry the bag for free, wanting to keep him company, but after we won twice on the Canadian Tour, he asked me If I wanted to get serious and really learn how to do it,” said Theoret.
“I’ve had a lot of help. His coach has been a big help, Derek Ingram. I’ve learned on the fly and the other Canadian caddies have been a big help — Jace Walker and Dave Markle, especially.”
And what of the perspective between golf and hockey? No two sports go together better; the handsy skills are transferable and the seasons complement one another.
Theoret played in the OHL with more than a dozen players who eventually went on to long NHL careers, including Mark Scheifele, Dougie Hamilton, Andrew Mangiapane and Strome. Two others, Aaron Ekblad and Carter Verhaeghe, are playing in the Stanley Cup Final right now with the Florida Panthers.
It would have been hard to picture a decade ago, but Theoret is now up close to even more elite players every week. They just use different tools.
“I think hockey players love golf more than golfers. It seems kind of strange (maybe because) swinging the club comes so natural,” he said.
