Sentosa, October 30: Ernie Els has an unfamiliar caddy on the bag at the Barclays Singapore Open, former National Hockey League star Dan Quinn.

The Big Easy has given regular caddy Ricci Roberts a couple of weeks off and asked Quinn if he fancied a couple of weeks in Asia.

Quinn, a scratch golfer, jumped at the chance especially as he had never before travelled further East than Greece.

Els met the former Pittsburgh Penguins centre when he moved to West Palm Beach, Florida with his family 18 months ago and the two have become close friends.

Quinn embarked on a career in golf after he finished his hockey career in 1996 and has featured on the minor tours in the United States. In 2000, he caddied for John Daly at the US Open.

South Africa’s Els, who was runner up at the Barclays Singapore Open in 2006 and last year, shot 67 during the first round on Thursday to lie one behind leader Ian Poulter of England.

Els has made it clear that Quinn is more than a bag carrier.

He clubbed the South African during the first round and also helped read some of the greens on the Serapong Course at Sentosa Golf Club.