Robert Allenby Wins Fight with Caddie by Firing Him Mid-Round at RBC Canadian Open

By Brandon Raper
Robert Allenby Fires Caddie PGA Tour
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To paraphrase a classic movie, it’s been a banner year at the Allenby house. Back in January, Robert Allenby missed the cut at the Sony Open in Hawaii, after which he was (according to his story, at least) kidnapped, beaten and robbed. Since then, he’s made just four cuts in 15 starts, and has generally struggled to maintain any kind of form.

It’s still surprising, though, that his frustrations boiled over as high as they did on Thursday at the RBC Canadian Open, where a mid-round fight with his caddie left the latter out of a job, and a fan carrying the bag for the player’s last nine holes.

We’ve all seen situations on Tour – Bubba Watson comes to mind? – where a player and caddie can get into it with each other over the game plan. In fact, even without microphones covering every inch of the course at all times, it’s surprising it doesn’t seem to blow up more often. But to see a caddie fired during the middle of a round at a tournament? You’ve got to be kidding.

Apparently, the entire situation stemmed from Allenby’s caddie, 15-year veteran Mick Middlemo, insisting that his player should hit 8-iron into the par-5 13th hole, from about 150 yards. Allenby said he wanted to hit the 7-iron, but eventually went with his looper. The shot ended up in the creek short of the green, and he made triple bogey on the hole.

That was four holes into the day. Then things got hot.

Allenby says that he told Middlemo that he was tired of being put into bad situations for “the last three or four or five months.” According to Allenby’s version of events, Middlemo got enraged and wanted to fight him in the parking lot outside the tournament. The caddie says that Allenby cursed him out loudly enough for everybody around to hear, using terms we can’t print.

Whoever’s version of events is true, the result was out of control. Allenby fired Middlemo on the spot, then at the turn he informed PGA Tour officials that he no longer had a caddie. Enter Tom Fraser, a local school principal who certainly wasn’t expecting to pick up a (very) temporary job during his summer break. Fraser offered up his services to Allenby, and got the once-in-a-lifetime chance to go inside the ropes on Tour.

Allenby shot an 81, putting him in dead last place, and then said that he was withdrawing from the tournament, claiming to be shaken from the day’s events.

One thing is for sure, and that’s that drama seems to follow him everywhere. From the incident in Hawaii to having his fourth caddie leave him during play, the constant is himself. At a certain point, you have to wonder if trouble always happens to find you, or if you’re the one inviting it in.

Brandon Raper is the lead golf writer for Rant Sports. “Like” him on Facebook, follow him on Twitter @Brandon__Raper, and join him on Google+.

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