Matt Wallace believes decision to AXE his caddie has been vindicated

Wallace explains his decision to "part ways" with caddie Dave McNeilly

Andy Roberts's picture
Fri, 20 Sep 2019
Matt Wallace believes decision to AXE his caddie has been vindicated

Matt Wallace has revealed it was the "right" decision to part ways with respected caddie Dave McNeilly after he took the first-round lead at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

Wallace came under fire for some of his treatment of McNeilly, especially at the BMW International Open when seeming to berate the 67-year-old caddie after finding the water with his tee shot down the final hole, ultimately costing him a chance of defending his title. 

The 29-year-old Englishman split from McNeilly a week after the World Golf Championship at the end of July, but the Londoner told the media at Wentworth this week that it was the correct decision to help him progress with his game.

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"It was the hardest decision I've had to make in my career," said Wallace, a four-time European Tour winner. 

"He's done so much for me. He's got me to where I am today but it was a time and a decision that I wanted to be done and change something up.

"I didn't want to keep being like that with Dave and Dave like that with me. Dave is 67 and he wants to improve every day and that is why he was my guy for so long. He was great for me and I am sure I pushed him on as well.

"I don't think I want to change too much of me, I want to keep the fire. Around the Open I was changing my emotions inside and that was affecting the way I played.

"I hope I don't have to make any decisions ever like that again, but it's a business and it's what everyone keeps telling me. There are plenty of guys out here who sacked many a caddie and this is my first one. I wouldn't say it was a sacking, it was a parting of ways.

"Sometimes you need to make those hard decisions to go forward. I felt like it was the right one and it is producing some good stuff at the moment."

Wallace finished third in last week's KLM Open without McNeilly on the bag, and then raced into the day-one lead at the BMW PGA on Thursday.