Jim Mackay, better known as Bones — the 25-year caddie for Phil Mickelson — is apparently putting the Staff bag down for the time being, and has accepted an on-course reporting job with NBC and the Golf Channel, as per reports. It was just 16 days ago that the pair announced a mutual split to the public, and Bones has already ended speculation as to where he’d go next.

Welcome to the team, Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay.

He joins Golf Channel as an on-course reporter. His first stop: #TheOpen –https://t.co/3BMarO938T pic.twitter.com/PzShbOkmSH

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) July 6, 2017

“When Phil and I split up, several people got in touch,” Mackay said, according to Golfworld. “People have been nice enough over the years to say something to me about how they thought [broadcasting] was something maybe I could do at some point in my life. It was always something I’d say thank you to, and personally thought about. When Phil and I split, I got several phone calls, and it became a bigger opportunity, really seriously, the last few weeks.”

According to reports, Bones will be on the mic and walking course at The 2017 Open Championship, as well as The Presidents Cup and the FedEx Cup Playoffs later this year. It doesn’t sound as though Bones will be working a full Tour schedule yet, leaving him with off weeks to… loop?

“I’m going be working 20-odd weeks a year,” Mackay said. “I think being a caddie is always going to be in blood, but right now it’s one thing at a time.”

Those aren’t words of a man who seems completely ready to hang up the caddie bib, but he does sound committed to the new gig.

“Right now, it’s just a question of jumping in with both feet and learning as much as I possibly can, as quickly as I can,” Mackay said.

Either way, it will be interesting to hear the insight and experience that Bones brings to table, and he’ll certainly provide trustworthy green reads to the coverage.

Discussion: See what GolfWRX members are saying about Bones’ decision