Golfer Defends Paying Caddie $5,000 After Winning $1 Million in Tournament

Matt Kuchar reacts to his putt on the 18th green during the second round of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at Gullane Golf Club in Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland, on July 10, 2015. Andrew Redington/Getty Images

Professional golfer Matt Kuchar defended paying his caddie $5,000 after he won more than $1.2 million in the Mayakoba Golf Classic in November.

Kuchar, 40, said he paid Mexican caddie David “El Tucan” Giral Ortiz, who had replaced Kuchar’s regular caddie, $5,000 and said he would pay him $15,000 if he won. However, Ortiz turned it down, according to an interview he did with the Golf Channel.