A caddie set down his player's bag and walked away during a PGA Tour event, an unusual scene for the circuit.
USA Today's Golfweek and other outlets reported on the 12th that veteran caddie Darren Woollard told David Lipsky of the United States he would no longer carry his bag and left the venue after the third round of the PGA Tour's Baycurrent Classic at Yokohama Country Club, a par-71 course in Japan, on the 11th.
Citing sources, Golfweek said Woollard decided he could no longer put up with the situation and told Lipsky directly to find someone else for the final round.
Lipsky's poor play has been cited as the reason for the walkout. He opened with a 5-under 66 in the first round but slid to a 1-over 72 in the second and a 2-over 73 in the third. He was especially shaky over the closing stretch of the third round, making two bogeys in the final three holes.
Lipsky played the final round with a fill-in known to be his trainer and finished the tournament at 3 under, tied for 54th.
Woollard has previously carried the bags of players including Scott Piercy of the United States and Lee Kyoung-hoon.
Lipsky has won four times on the DP World Tour, the Asian Tour and the Korn Ferry Tour, the PGA Tour's developmental circuit, but has yet to win on the PGA Tour. At No. 87 in the FedEx Cup standings, he has all but secured his card for next season, but pressure has been building after six missed cuts in his last 10 starts.
A similar scene unfolded at the Biltmore Championship in September. Cliff Ellis, caddie for Alejandro Tosti of Argentina, threw off his bib and left the course during the first round. Ellis walked off after exchanging words with Tosti at the ninth hole on the opening day. Tosti headed for the green without looking back and played the back nine without a caddie.