"I was a teenager when I started as a caddie. It was a very different time, there was no Internet back then. So to get better at my job, I would observe the players and learn. Today, I advise them!”

36-year-old Marcus Thumaiah, a caddie at Constance Golf Links and Constance Golf Legend, is a resourceful man. “If you do a great job on the course, you develop a bond with the players that is built upon trust.” Golf veteran and eight-time European Senior Tour champion Barry Lane would agree with Marcus. For the last 10 years, Marcus has been caddie for Barry Lane for the MCB Tour Championship.

To be a good sidekick, the caddie needs to understand the players well. The stakes are high for both of them. “The Legend is my home. I know the course like the back of my hand. I spot the bunkers to avoid and I know the whims of the winds all too well. With that, I am able to give advice and help the players with their game.”

So when Barry Lane narrowly misses out on the title, his frustration would also be Marcus’ to share. "But in victory or loss, Barry is the same person. A human, respectful and cool player.” The friendship between these two men has blossomed over the years and they regularly check in with each other’s families outside of the competition.

Their tenacity paid off when Barry Lane swung a winning shot and won the MCB Tour Championship in 2016. As a gesture of gratitude to his committed caddie and friend, Barry presented him with a generous reward. Marcus used it to add a terrace to his home. “Every morning when I have my tea there, I am reminded of that very special moment from my life.”, Marcus tells us, reminiscing.