Equipment

Forum Thread of the Day: “European Tour looking into an incident involving Matt Wallace and his caddie from the BMW International Open”

Published

5 years ago

Jun 25, 2019

Today’s Forum Thread of the Day surrounds an incident involving Matt Wallace and his caddie, Dave McNeilly, which occurred on Sunday at the European Tour’s BMW International Open. After hitting a shot in the water on 18, Wallace appeared irate with his caddie, which incensed many of our members, as well as plenty of social media users.

According to bunkered.co.uk, the European Tour stated in an email to the publication that they are looking into the incident over allegations of abuse.

A limited number of clips of the incident have surfaced online.

Billy Foster doesn't look concerned. pic.twitter.com/TVbRjaADYz

— Ricky Bush (@thebushnews) June 25, 2019

I watched him play the 18th and this is the only dialogue with the caddie on my DVR pic.twitter.com/tbPXZReTmS

— Matt Sylla (@mattsylla) June 24, 2019

Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

buckeyefl: “Sky Sports analyst Rich Beem: ‘I’m sorry, but I just don’t enjoy watching that. I know you’re intense but get over yourself.’”
Steele47: “Just looked at Wallace’s twitter. He congratulates the winner Andrea Pavan and also noteworthy, makes a point to compliment Pavan’s caddie. LOL.”
OldTomMorris: “It’s a pattern with Wallace that he goes after his caddy so often like this and golf commentators, analysts even fans have picked up on this. There has to be a base level of respect and decency; it appears that Wallace often falls short of that.”
golfgirlrobin: “He’s getting roasted on his own Twitter account. People don’t seem that amused.”

Entire Thread: “European Tour looking into an incident involving Matt Wallace and his caddie from the BMW International Open”

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Forum Thread of the Day: “The dynamics of the partnership between Jason Day and Steve Williams”

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WRX Spotted: Ping Glide 3.0, Glide 3.0 Eye2 wedges

Gianni Magliocco

Gianni is the Managing Editor at GolfWRX. He can be contacted at [email protected].

11 Comments

HDTVMAN

Jun 26, 2019 at 4:37 pm

If you wear the Ping hat, you’re expected to act with respect to the game and others.

Reply Report comment
ski_co

Jun 26, 2019 at 2:56 pm

If the caddie told him it was 180 to cover the water and it was 200 I would understand. Otherwise the final decision on the shot is the players.

Reply Report comment
Unemployed Caddy

Jun 26, 2019 at 8:10 am

Looked like an A and B conversation. Why doesn’t everyone C their way out of it. It’s basically a husband and wife type of relationship, one of them can file for divorce or maybe they can go to couples counseling?? Why are we acting like caddies are so mistreated and incapable of making mistakes?? Can we stop protecting caddies as if they are children with abusive parents…

Reply Report comment
Sahil

Jun 26, 2019 at 6:56 am

I’ve noticed the caddy issue is becoming a noticeable issue.
Jordon Spieth was another example.
I’m sure there are tons of others which just gets swept under the carpet.
There are few questions I have, if @Golfwrx has some history on this.
My questions are:
When did the caddy become such a big part of the professional’s game plan?
To my knowledge, its the pro golfer pitting his skills against the course and other players.
It should not matter who caddies for the pro golfer. His own skills and decision making will shine through.
Now I see Jason Day hiring Steve Williams, and making Steve out to be this caddy / coach / mentor / father figure person when in reality, from what I see Jason’s been distracted by other issues off the course.
“when he says something, I do it” that was Jason’s statement.
Pro golfers have this huge team, a coach for putting, a coach for iron play, a coach for driving , a mental coach, a personal trainer, a golf specific personal trainer rather.
When they hit the ball straight in the bush then they blame the caddy.
As far as I’m concerned, the pro golfers are becoming a bunch of whiney, privileged babies.
The caddies are there to carry your clubs and take care of your clubs, the golfing is up to the pro golfer. Amateurs use of a good caddy can be useful, a skilled local caddy will have course knowledge, can help speed up play. Help the amateur golfer make better decisions and learn the game.
Golf is an individual sport. One pro going against other pro’s.

Reply Report comment
Sahil

Jun 26, 2019 at 6:48 am

http://www.golfwrx.com/563240/forum-thread-of-the-day-european-tour-looking-into-an-incident-involving-matt-wallace-and-his-caddie-from-the-bmw-international-open/?fbclid=IwAR1h_JQF8YyX6uOjdI_axhuh5EYtWLcAEv42qZRRVbnW_pI7ef4M1SKx5d0

Reply Report comment
Sahil

Jun 26, 2019 at 6:46 am

I’ve noticed the caddy issue is becoming a noticeable issue.
Jordon Spieth was another example.
I’m sure there are tons of others which just gets swept under the carpet.
There are few questions I have, if @Golfwrx has some history on this.
Wiki quote
“While the modern game of golf originated in 15th-century Scotland, the game’s ancient origins are unclear and much debated. Some historians trace the sport back to the Roman game of paganica, in which participants used a bent stick to hit a stuffed leather ball.”
My questions are:
When did the caddy become such a big part of the professional’s game plan?
To my knowledge, its the pro golfer pitting his skills against the course and other players.
It should not matter who caddies for the pro golfer. His own skills and decision making will shine through.
Now I see Jason Day hiring Steve Williams, and making Steve out to be this caddy / coach / mentor / father figure person when in reality, from what I see Jason’s been distracted by other issues off the course.
“when he says something, I do it” that was Jason’s statement.
Pro golfers have this huge team, a coach for putting, a coach for iron play, a coach for driving , a mental coach, a personal trainer, a golf specific personal trainer rather.
When they hit the ball straight in the bush then they blame the caddy.
As far as I’m concerned, the pro golfers are becoming a bunch of whiney, privileged babies.
The caddies are there to carry your clubs and take care of your clubs, the golfing is up to the pro golfer. Amateurs use of a good caddy can be useful, a skilled local caddy will have course knowledge, can help speed up play. Help the amateur golfer make better decisions and learn the game.
Golf is an individual sport. One pro going against other pro’s.

Reply Report comment
JThunder

Jun 25, 2019 at 10:45 pm

“If the caddie doesn’t like it, he can quit”

Ahh… the conservative answer to sweatshops, child labor and 80 hour work weeks!

Reply Report comment
- ht
  
  Jun 27, 2019 at 9:48 am
  
  *looks for way to upvote this comment*
  
  Reply Report comment
cg

Jun 25, 2019 at 8:44 pm

Mind our own business? He’s just emotional?. NO WAY! Quit excusing poor behavior! Wallace was a jerk. What possible thing could his caddy have done to cause him to duck hook his tee shot into the water? A caddy gives numbers and often makes suggestions but in the end, the player is responsible for every golf shot. These guys are playing for big money so the fan’s opinion absolutely do matter. Golf has always been a gentleman’s game. I saw the reaction myself Sunday and I was disgusted.

Reply Report comment
Johnny Penso

Jun 25, 2019 at 8:23 pm

“There has to be a base level of respect and decency; it appears that Wallace often falls short of that.” Get stuffed. That’s between the player and his caddie. If the caddie doesn’t like it he can quit. If the player doesn’t like it he can fire him. MYOB.

Reply Report comment
Dan

Jun 25, 2019 at 3:27 pm

The guys emotional and in the moment. It’s hard to win a tournament. If his caddy can’t handle it he can quit. People complain about players being robots but once they show negative emotions people crucify them.

Reply Report comment

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

4 hours ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

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