LEMONT, Ill. -- Player-caddie spats are about as old as the game of golf itself. But they typically do not include the caddie walking off the course in mid-round.
That is what happened to Australia's Robert Allenby on Friday during the second round of the BMW Championship at Cog Hill.
Matthew Tritton, who has been on Allenby's bag for about a year, put down the bag, took off his caddie bib and tossed his yardage book to the player on the 16th tee, Allenby's seventh of the day.
Afterward, Allenby was stumped.
"I don't know, his girlfriend came into town last night, and maybe he was feeling "toey," said Allenby, using Australian slang for "frisky."
Allenby said that on the 16th tee, Tritton pulled a 3-wood out of the bag. Allenby believed it was too much club, but there was no argument.
"He just ignored me, and started walking off the tee," Allenby said. "I said, 'What's wrong.' And then he started whinging at me. For two day's everything's been fine. I really don't know. He said, 'You don't want me to caddie any more. You want me to leave, don't you?' I said, 'No, I don't.' And then he just left."
Fortunately for Allenby, his trainer, Vern McMillan had been following the group. McMillan stepped in and Allenby played the last 11 holes in 3 under par to shoot 68. He is tied for 46th place. At 24th in the FedEx Cup standings, Allenby is pretty secure to finish among the top 30 and make it to next week's Tour Championship. Tritton gave up a guaranteed payday in each of the next two weeks.
Allenby seemed to take it well. He recalled a similar incident occurring to him at the 1995 British Open at St. Andrews, where his caddie, Michael Waite, put the bag over his head and tossed it to the ground. He decided to finish the round, however, before quitting.
"That's golf," Allenby said. "It's not the first time and won't be the last time, either. I definitely played some pretty good golf after that."
Bob Harig is a frequent contributor to ESPN.com. He can be reached at BobHarig@gmail.com.