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Matt Wallace draws criticism after berating caddie at BMW

June 24, 2019

Hotheaded Englishman Matt Wallace drew the ire of fans on social media on Sunday when he berated his caddie while in contention on the back nine of the BMW International in Munich.

Wallace’s visible frustration was caught on the SkySports broadcast throughout the round, coming to a head several times. On the par-3 12th, viewers reported Wallace’s anger with caddie Dave McNeilly after his tee shot sailed long.

Wallace, the defending champion, still stepped to the 18th tee very much in contention, needing a birdie to rejoin the lead. Instead, he hooked his tee shot into the water and went on to make bogey. Cameras picked up a tense moment with Wallace going at McNeilly again.

Wallace would go on to make bogey, finishing two shots outside the playoff between Matthew Fitzpatrick and eventual winner Andrea Pavan.

The behavior was the second time in as many weeks that Wallace has run hot on the golf course. Despite a strong T12 finish at last week’s U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, Wallace was captured in several moments of frustration, tossing a putter on one occasion, turning his hat backwards on another. The behavior drew pointed criticism from SkySports analyst Rich Beem. “I’m sorry but I just don’t enjoy watching that,” he said. “I know you’re intense, but get over yourself.”

https://twitter.com/TheGolfVillan/status/1139900821909528576

Wallace had penned an apology in a column for the Evening Standard after further frustration boiled over on the last hole of the British Masters. “I’m really disappointed in the way I behaved. For 71 holes, I’d done really well, then let myself down badly with one petulant act,” he wrote. “The best players in the world don’t do that so why should I?”

Wallace finished the BMW in a seven-way tie for 3rd. Wallace leads the European Tour’s Race to Dubai and sits a career-best No. 24 in the world. You can see further reaction to his actions below.

https://twitter.com/goonerkh/status/1142911775135948800

https://twitter.com/CircusPony9/status/1142802049827917824

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