Earlier this weekend at the RBC Canadian Open, professional golfer Robert Allenby fired his caddie.. MID-ROUND.
Pretty ballsy move from a guy that looks like he has not carried his own bag in years.
In all seriousness, the caddie firing was apparently coming soon. The Aussie told SCOREGolf.com that he told his caddie, “‘We keep making bad mistakes and you’re not helping me in these circumstances.'”
Allenby was on the par-5 13th hole when he was deciding between an 8-iron and 7-iron to try to hit the green with. Allenby was thinking 7-iron, but caddie Mick Meddlemo insisted on an 8-iron. Let’s just say the shot ended up in the crick running before the green, and tempers flared. Apparently, Meddlemo got up in Allenby’s face and the two argued, then out of nowhere, Allenby told Meddlemo, “that’s it, you’re sacked.”
That is Allenby’s story anyway. He does not have a ton of trust points from the media or the clubhouse after he claimed to have been jumped in Hawaii earlier this year, mugged and robbed out of the blue. The claims have been questioned to a point in which it is hard to figure out who or what to believe.
Let’s not forget the 2009 President’s Cup controversy either. Allenby was matched up against American Anthony Kim, and lost 3-5. Allenby would late accuse Kim of partying all night before the Singles match, a statement Kim would deny.
Yes, this accusation came after a LOSS. How much more ridiculous does it get?
Well, just two years later, Allenby set his bar to a new standard. He posted a 0-4-0 record in the 2011 President’s Cup, failing to win a points for his team. Nonetheless, Allenby blamed his partners, which was not a huge surprise at this point in Allenby’s career. One teammate in particular — Geoff Ogilvy — was upset and called Allenby out on Twitter. The very next week, Allenby was dangerously close to a physical altercation with Ogilvy.
This is not the first time Allenby has had a caddie leave his bag mid-round. The sensitive, loudmouth golfer had three walk-off before Meddlemo became his fourth. At some point, Allenby is the problem, not his caddie, and that point was probably passed after his second caddie went for a stroll.
Meddlemo had a different story on the incident that transpired Thursday.
“The discussion was only about waiting for the wind to die down and hit the 8-iron,” Middlemo said. “The 7-iron was never discussed. Not once. He came up 10 meters short of the front of the green. He hit a bad shot.”
It is another case of Allenby’s claim being put into question, and making him out as a liar. Middlemo continued to describe life caddying Allenby, and revealed some disturbing language Allenby would use on the course.
“He said, ‘I can’t believe this fat c—,’ loud enough for everyone to hear. There’s a lot as a caddie I can take but a personal attack like that. If this was an office in any country in the world, that would be considered bullying. I can take it if you call me the worst caddie in the world, tell me I’m horrible at picking clubs, but there’s a line you just can’t cross,” said Middlemo.
How a professional golfer can treat his caddy, or really anyone else, like that is beyond words, and is the main reason he is disliked on the Tour by the fans of the sport. Not taking blame after a bad shot, or even a bad round, is as low as it can get for a golfer because you are the one swinging the club. Taking it a notch up by bullying a colleague is the final straw for a man that has been dancing a fine line in the last few years.
This continues to roller coaster that is Robert Allenby, and his latest action is the next chapter in his professional golf life. Not only was he wrong to kick Middlemo off his bag, but he was showing his true character of trying to deflect blame from himself. Truth of the matter is, if the 8-iron sticks the green eight feet from the flag pin, Allenby is taking the credit, and not deflecting a bit to Middlemo.
Allenby finished his round with a man from the gallery carrying his bag, and withdrew from the RBC Canadian Open on Thursday after he shot an 81, good for nine over par.
