'Caddy of the Year' festivities honor loopers with good and dubious awards

One of the best nights of the year is in Shanghai when the European Tour loopers gather downstairs at the hotel bar for their “Caddy of the Year” program. Caddies vote throughout the week for the best caddy and a few other awards. The main winner was Ken Comboy, voted caddy of the year. He works for Graeme McDowell, who had a decent year -- U.S. Open champion at Pebble Beach, two European Tour victories and that massive birdie putt at Celtic Manor to give Europe victory in the Ryder Cup. John McLaren, now working for Luke Donald, got the award for worst dressed. And the best switch of the year might have been unanimous -- Craig Connelly, who began the year working for Graeme Storm until he got an offer to caddie for a young German named Martin Kaymer. They went on to three wins, including the PGA Championship. It was standing room only for most of the night, a festive occasion that was attended by most of the caddies at the HSBC Champions no matter what tour they work, along with a host of players that ranged from Donald and McDowell to Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, Ryan Palmer and Rickie Fowler.