Joe LaCava is back inside the ropes this week -- caddying for his former boss, Fred Couples.

LaCava, who has caddied for Tiger Woods for the past 10 years, said in a text message Thursday night that "I'm actually eating pasta and watching hockey with [Couples] right now. Like nothing has changed 10 years later.

"Of course, I miss it and love Fred like a brother."

Couples is playing in the PGA Tour Champions event in Des Moines, Iowa, that begins Friday, the Principal Charity Classic.

LaCava said he is simply filling in this week and has no plans for any other immediate caddie work.

Woods is out indefinitely after suffering serious injuries in a Feb. 23 car accident.

LaCava, who first started caddying on the PGA Tour in 1987, began working for Couples in 1990 and was on his bag for 12 PGA Tour victories, including the 1992 Masters.

He was working for Dustin Johnson in 2011 when Woods called with an offer LaCava could not refuse. He caddied for Woods during nine worldwide victories from 2011 through 2013 and for his three most recent, including the 2019 Masters and his last victory at the 2019 Zozo Championship.

The last time LaCava worked for Woods was in December at the PNC Championship, a father-son event in which Woods played with his son, Charlie.

LaCava has had to take long breaks previously, specifically in 2016 and 2017, when Woods played just three times over a 28-month period due to back issues that required spinal fusion surgery in April 2017.

When Woods returned in 2018 and played a full schedule, he complimented LaCava on his loyalty. And LaCava said he had no problem waiting for Woods to return.

"If I could live another hundred years, I'd wait another hundred years," he said. "I was never not going to work for Tiger as long as he was going to have me. I just wanted to work for him and no one else. And I think that helped him a little bit, knowing that he had a friend that thought that much of him, as a person and with his game."