With Matt Kuchar’s character being called into question by many golf fans after the nine-time winner on the PGA Tour justified paying stand-in caddie David Ortiz $5,000 at last year’s Mayakoba Classic, a can of worms appears as if it may be about to spill open.

Going by the username of Legal Hooks, a Twitter user who allegedly caddied within the same group as Matt Kuchar at the 2006 Rheem Classic on the then Nationwide Tour, has claimed that Kuchar treated the then 16-year-old in an unfavorable manner.

In Legal Hooks’ social media thread, he claims that while in the group caddying for Bryce Molder, as the players exited the clubhouse, minus Molder who had made a pit-stop, the players and caddies began to hand out ice cream, which is when his experience turned sour.

Treating this with the requisite grain of salt necessitated in the social mediaverse, here’s the thread.

Chez & the 4th guy in the group hand some free ice cream to their caddies. Matt turns to me and hands me what I thought was ice cream for me. I tell him thank you very much and start to open it. He yells at me to stop like I'm about to set off a bomb. 4/8

— Legal Hooks (@LegalHooks) February 12, 2019

He yanks it out of my hand and stares down at me (he's about a foot taller than me at this time) and says, "No, that's for Bryce, not you" and then walks over and puts it on the bag. I sheepishly apologize and go stand by myself. 5/8

— Legal Hooks (@LegalHooks) February 12, 2019

According to the then caddie, Kuchar “hadn’t a single kind word (to say) to me or act like I even existed” throughout the day. The reaction of Kuchar’s caddie, which involved tapping the youngster on the back and offering him a granola bar, is a sign to Legal Hooks that he wasn’t the first or last to be treated disrespectfully by the former Players champ.

So, this is a long rant just to say that Kuch has always been a guy who demeaned and talked down to caddies. I'm sure he treats all "the help" like that. I'm glad the story about #ElTucan came out so that everyone can see it. 8/8

— Legal Hooks (@LegalHooks) February 12, 2019

The backlash against Kuchar appears to be gathering pace, with plenty of people on social media voicing their disappointment at the 40-year-old’s handling of the caddie dispute involving David Ortiz. Previous incidents, which made little impact on golf fans, such as the one below, look a lot more cynical all of a sudden and are gaining much more traction than they did when they first surfaced.

Matt Kuchar gave @AndrewColtart the silent treatment live on TV at the #USOpen ???????????? https://t.co/JWi9FvsGNh

— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) June 14, 2017

As business mogul Warren Buffett once said: “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.” Kuchar may be finding out the truth of that adage the hard way.

Phil Mickelson is on the verge of career win number 44, while over at the Vic Open, David Law won his first European Tour title, while Celine Boutier also broke through and claimed her maiden LPGA Tour victory at the same event. In a busy past week, here are some things you may have missed, and some of the quirkier moments from the world of golf dished out in the Twittersphere over the past seven days.

No Stopping Brooks

Koepka is on a roll to begin 2019, and his plan to sort the issue of slow play out, at least in the groups he’s playing with, is indeed a novel one.

Brooks Koepka has officially declared 2019 as #savageSZN pic.twitter.com/70h4y53ixK

— Total Golf Move™ (@totalgolfmove) February 7, 2019

Romo’s Brilliance

I’m almost certain that Tony Romo perfectly called how this shot would play out in his head before hitting it too.

This shot from @TonyRomo is INCREDIBLE. ????#LiveUnderPar ???? pic.twitter.com/2fSWZCFXtF

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 8, 2019

Lefty Not Keen On Early Starts

You’d think a three-shot lead with two holes to play would have left Phil Mickelson feeling good as he departed the course due to bad light last night. However, Lefty’s reaction to play being suspended said it all…

The look on Phil’s face when the horn blew. pic.twitter.com/9A2SNz1qvt

— Skratch (@Skratch) February 11, 2019

…Phil had plenty to smile about on Thursday though. For the first time in over two decades, Mickelson found every fairway in a round. Wet fairways FTW.

According to @ShotLink, Phil Mickelson hit every fairway in today's round. It would be the first time Lefty has hit every fairway in a PGA Tour round in 21 years (1998 at Torrey Pines).

— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) February 7, 2019

Ho sung’s Debut

Golf fans everywhere were excited to see Ho sung Choi’s first appearance on the PGA Tour, and while things didn’t all go to plan for the viral sensation, Choi still entertained the fans with eccentricities like this.

Ho Sung Choi for birdie …

Give him a break. pic.twitter.com/rZU6B3DTml

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 9, 2019

Jordan’s Poor Hand

If you thought being a professional golfer was all fun and games then check out this tweet displaying Jordan Spieth’s battered right hand. Eek.

Hey kids, wanna be a pro golfer?

Take a look at @JordanSpieth’s hand.

(via @dpshow) pic.twitter.com/59CVdvrucM

— Chris Chaney (@Wrong_Fairway) February 8, 2019

New Players Trophy

The Players Championship has a new trophy on offer, which is said to incorporate aspects of each of the 38 different winners of the event.

Waterford Crystal is out, gold is in.

The Players Championship has unveiled its new winner's trophy. https://t.co/k2TkVzVmWu pic.twitter.com/jMMOElIDtR

— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) February 7, 2019

In these series of articles, I will be taking you around the Emerald Isle providing you with great golf courses to visit in some of the loveliest spots in Ireland. I’ll also be highlighting the best and most authentic Irish bars in these spots, as well as places to stay, eat and how to get there. Whether you’re taking a golfing holiday to Ireland in 2019 or are interested in doing so sometime in the future, I’ll make sure to let you in on the best places to spend your time.

In Part Four of our Exploring Ireland Series, we travelled to Bearna Golf Club in Galway. Now it’s time to move down the west coast and into County Kerry to explore the south coast of the country.

One of Ireland’s most famous tourist destinations, “The Kingdom” as locals call it, is well known for its impressive mountains, lakes, and great food, while it was also a favorite destination of legendary actor Charlie Chaplin. Whether it’s quiet countryside, gourmet feasts or all night sessions that you’re after, Kerry will certainly not disappoint.

Parknasilla Golf Club, Kerry

@parknasilla

Picking a 12-hole golf course when there are so many great options for golf breaks in this county (Waterville Golf Links, Kenmore GC, Tralee GC etc.) may seem strange, but with its beauty, location, value, and great mix of holes, Parknasilla GC gets the nod.

The course is located a few minutes from Paknasilla Resort itself (which we’ll get into later) and features a mix of both narrow tree-lined fairways, as well as wider ones. The smart blend at times allows you to open your shoulders, and at others makes it necessary for you to dial back and hit a dead-straight tee shot, knowing full well that if you don’t, you’ll find yourself in the woods. The hilly course will also test your club-selecting skills, while the sloped greens, at least when I was in town, are perfect to putt on.

@thejagobyrne

The course offers incredible views of the Atlantic Ocean and Kerry Mountains, while with its lush green fairways and colorful vegetation, the track provides you with the perfect setting to enjoy your golfing day out.

@parknasilla

The 12-hole course features two par-5s and one par-3 and can also be turned into an 18-hole course. While parts of Kerry are known for its hustle and bustle, you’re guaranteed a relaxed vibe around Parknasilla. Twelve holes will cost you around $25, while to play 18 the rate is $30.

Undoubtedly this course is one of the best bang for your book tracks in the area.

Food & Drink – Crowley’s Bar/Parknasilla Resort

@Crowleysbar

There are bundles of bars in Kerry hosting lively music sessions if that’s your scene, and you won’t have to look far to find them. However, I’m taking a different tact for this part of the series.

In the town of Kenmare sits Crowley’s Bar, which is approximately a 25-minute drive from the Parknasilla Resort, and it’s a bar which will provide for a very different and authentic experience.

For starters, when I visited, the pub didn’t even have a till, so don’t bother taking your card out in this joint. You grab your drink and just chuck your money into a box and get on with enjoying your pint. You won’t find any tv’s here, and it truly is a joy to tuck into a pint of Guinness in front of one of the many open fireplaces at this little gem.

@paulhughesgee

No thrills, no food and few tourists, Crowley’s is an old school bar that is all about drink, conversation and friendly locals who will give any visitors from abroad the red carpet treatment. In the evening you’ll also be able to enjoy live music, so don’t think you’ll be missing out on a good traditional music session should you decide to visit this bar.

@9to5pianist

While Crowley’s doesn’t provide food, Parknasilla Resort sure does, and its Pygmalion restaurant is the place to be after hitting the fairways. The restaurant is located in a large, stunning room within the complex, and offers up an excellent three-course meal including tea or coffee for $45 per person.

Where To Stay

@renneestraussbh

Parknasilla Resort of course. If you’ve seen Yorgos Lanthimos’ film The Lobster, then you’ll know all about the beauty of this hotel and its surroundings. The film starring Colin Farrell was filmed in the resort, and it genuinely is as beautiful in person as it appears on the big screen.

@parknasilla

The luxury hotel features an excellent spa, tennis courts, walking trails and more, and will provide you with the perfect spot to explore all that Kerry has to offer. A double room costs in the region of $140 per night.

Besides golf, there’s plenty to do in Kerry. I’d certainly recommend a visit to Killarney National Park which offers some of the most spectacular scenery in the country. Snow-capped mountains and waterfalls are just some of the highlights of the park.

@photographyPJM

The Dingle peninsula is also a beautiful area that is worth visiting should you ever find yourself in The Kingdom. With bars and restaurants galore, it’s one of the best spots in the county and a boat ride out to see “Funghi the Dolphin” is a great option if you have kids, or are just into dolphins in general!

@catherinemack

How To Get There

If driving, then Kerry is around a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Dublin. The closest international airport to the county is Cork airport, which is 90 minutes away. The area’s popularity means that its accessible from pretty much anywhere on the island through public transport.