Another caddie-player partnership has reportedly come to an abrupt end on the PGA Tour, adding to what has become an unusual season for caddies.
Veteran caddie Darren Woolard reportedly reached his breaking point while working for journeyman professional David Lipsky at the Baycurrent Classic in Japan. According to a source, Woolard had enough and essentially told Lipsky to find someone else to carry his bag for Sunday's final round at Yokohama Country Club, approximately 20 miles south of Tokyo.
A Tour official confirmed that Lipsky teed off in the final round with a different caddie. Golfweek could not independently confirm the identity of the replacement, although it had heard the person filling in during the final round may have been Lipsky's
trainer.
The reported split came after a frustrating stretch for Lipsky, who started the tournament promisingly with a 66 on Thursday before slipping to rounds of 72 and 73. His third round ended particularly poorly, with bogeys on two of his final three holes. It didn't get much better on Sunday, especially early as he bogeyed four of his first five holes but rallied to shot 1-under 70.
At 38, Lipsky has enjoyed success on multiple tours, including victories on the DP World Tour, Asian Tour and Korn Ferry Tour. He also finished runner-up to Matt Fitzpatrick at the Valspar Championship in March. However, that was his only top-10 finish of the season, and he had missed the cut in six of his previous 10 starts heading into the week. He began the tournament ranked No. 85 in the season-long standings.
Woolard, meanwhile, is no stranger to the professional golf circuit. His previous players include Scott Piercy, Taylor Montgomery, K.H. Lee and the late Jarrod Lyle.
The reported separation is the latest in a string of unusual incidents involving caddies this season. Last month, Cliff Ellis made headlines when he removed his caddie bib and abandoned Alejandro Tosti's bag mid-round during the opening 18 holes of the Biltmore Championship Asheville.
But perhaps the strangest episode involved Austin Gaugert and Garrick Higgo at the PGA Championship. Higgo failed to get to the first tee before his scheduled tee time, resulting in a two-stroke penalty. He subsequently delivered a memorable press conference, offering a series of remarks that quickly drew attention.
“I wouldn’t have been late if I had known I was running late,” Higgo said.
He followed that with another line that captured the bizarre nature of the situation: “I was there on time, but the rule is, if you're one second late, you're late.”
Higgo ultimately missed the cut by a single stroke, and he and Gaugert parted ways before the player's next start.
Now, with Woolard and Lipsky reportedly experiencing their own breakdown, the Tour's caddie ranks have produced another unexpected storyline.
Caddies are often viewed as trusted partners who help players navigate the pressures of professional golf, but these incidents show just how quickly those relationships can unravel when frustration, performance and timing collide. And with another reported split in Japan, the season's list of unusual caddie stories continues to grow.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Another caddie quits mid-tournament on the PGA Tour, this time in Japan
