When you're earning a living as a caddie, the last thing you want to hear is the phrase ‘well, you can have another weekend off’ as your boss trudges out of the recording hut having missed the cut again.

Fortunately for Clydebank bagman Craig Connelly, his own boss doesn’t tend to make many early exits. And on those rare occasions when he does, it works out quite nicely.

Martin Kaymer, the German major winner with whom Connelly has forged a profitable alliance down the seasons, hadn’t missed a cut since March 2016 until he departed at the halfway stage of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth a fortnight ago.

“At least it meant I got up the road to see Celtic win the treble,” said the 40-year-old Connelly with a smile. “I’d rather have missed the Scottish Cup final to have caddied for Martin for the rest of the PGA. It just so happened that there was something else for me to do at the weekend.”

Having enjoyed the celebratory hoopla with the Hoops, Connelly will pack his bags again this weekend and head to Erin Hills in Wisconsin for next week’s US Open, a title Kaymer won back in 2014.

The US Open remains the last major crown that the ailing Tiger Woods won in 2008.

The stricken Woods has been all over the news recently following his arrest for driving under the influence, an incident which led to Kaymer launching a robust defence of the former world No 1 while condemning those who mocked and pilloried Woods in the fevered aftermath of his brush with the law.

“Tiger would have had a massive bearing on Martin’s career,” reflected Connelly. “Regardless of what you think about Tiger, not many people know him as a person, but you shouldn’t really judge him. He’s inspired millions.

"I talk to Martin, I talk to Rory (McIlroy) and their memories of Tiger came in their time. My heroes were before him. But Martin is 32, so we are 20 years on from when Woods made that breakthrough.

"Martin was maybe 12 and had just taken up the game. He really looked up to him. Tiger instilled a work ethic in everyone.

"I remember caddying for the Scottish amateur team in the mid-90s. No disrespect to the guys, but they were all older gentlemen with beer bellies.

"We talk of Tiger and these amateur kids are now drinking water and eating salads. In the old days it was fizzy pop and pie and beans.”

Connelly has been heaving bags on the professional tours for 21 years now and has enjoyed the giddy highs of being part of major championship glory and Ryder Cup success. He’s even survived a stint with Monty.

“Hopefully there’s more to come,” said Connelly, whose first job was with Scottish female golfer Myra McKinlay on the Ladies European Tour. "I don’t know how long I’ll go on for. It’s the old saying, if you are roasting in the parking lot and struggling to get a bag then that’s the time to hang it up. Until no one wants me, I’ll keep going.”

He may be a figure of calm, level-headed reason in the cut-and-thrust of competition, while offering re-assuring nuggets like “keep it to the left of that second bunker and you’ll be fine”, but Connelly’s own golf tends to be a trifle more frenetic.

“I still play but I hate it,” he said with a wry grin. “I went on a golfing stag do with Henrik Stenson’s caddie recently. I tried to lose a club up a tree. It dangled down and I had to climb up and get it.

"I then tried to chip over some water but chipped the ball into the water and threw the club in after it. But I could still see it. The water was clear and only a foot deep so I trudged in to get it.

"I love golf but I’m no good at it anymore. As a caddie I try to be the calm head.

"When Martin’s playing I can’t really say, ‘what the hell was that shot?’. It’s a bit different when I’m playing.”