The Fairfield County Sports Hall of Fame (HOF), this fall, announced its 2021 class of inductees, naming eight prominent sports figures into its three wings, including Joe LaCava. With LaCava’s induction being the first selection from Newtown, a total of 21 different communities are now represented in the Hall of Fame. With the eight new honorees, the HOF has now recognized 111 county sports legends in its 17 years of existence.

The Hall of Fame, which is overseen by the Fairfield County Sports Commission, Inc, will honor the newly elected Hall of Famers at a later date to be determined. The Commission has postponed its annual Sports Night gala dinner until 2022. For the first time in the history of the Hall of Fame there was a three-way tie in the voting in one of the wings so additional seventh and eighth inductees are being recognized this year.

LaCava began his highly successful professional golf caddie career on the PGA Tour close to home as he started looping in 1987 for his cousin Ken Green, who hails from Danbury and was inducted into the Fairfield County Sports Hall of Fame in 2017. They both made names for themselves in the pro golf profession and more than 30 years later LaCava is now one of the most well-known caddies in the world. That was confirmed in August 2019 when he was inducted into the Caddie Hall of Fame.

After getting his start working three years with his cousin, LaCava quickly moved forward to begin work with some of the biggest names in the game when he was hired in 1990 by Fred Couples. That relationship lasted for two decades with Couples winning the Masters in 1992 and the 1996 Players Championship. With LaCava on the bag, Couples won 12 PGA Tour events. He then spent time as Dustin Johnson’s caddie as the then up and coming star made his way to the top echelon of the sport. Other top-ranked golfers that LaCava caddied for include Davis Love III and Justin Leonard.

Since September 2011, LaCava has been walking beside this generation’s greatest player, Tiger Woods. During his ten years alongside LaCava, Woods returned to No. 1 player in the world status, won his 15th major at the 2019 Masters, and added 11 more wins to his total of 82, tied for the all-time best with Sam Snead.

LaCava graduated from Western Connecticut State University in 1986 with a degree in finance.

The Hall of Fame is housed at the sports complex at Chelsea Piers Connecticut in Stamford and is open to the public seven days per week during regular business hours.

The Fairfield County Sports Commission, Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable and educational organization that promotes fitness, an active healthy lifestyle, and personal development through sports. The Commission, other than the executive director position, is an all-volunteer group dedicated to creating and supporting programs for fitness awareness education, primarily centered on the 110,000 school age children in the 16 communities it serves. Its Chelsea Cohen Fitness Academy is the countywide umbrella for all of its programs. For more information, go to fairfieldcountysports.com.