Robert Allenby fired his caddie in the middle of his round at the Canadian Open. (USATSI)
Robert Allenby's caddie offered his side of what happened at the Canadian Open. (USATSI)

Robert Allenby has been involved in two of the strangest golf stories of the year in 2015. First, in January, he was mugged and robbed in Hawaii, but many questioned the legitimacy of his claims. Now, six months later, Allenby finds himself in another controversial spot after he fired his caddie after nine holes on Thursday at the RBC Canadian Open -- due to a heated argument -- and had a fan carry his bag for the final nine holes. 

After his round, Allenby said his caddie, Mick Middlemo, got in his face and threatened him, which is why Allenby fired him. The argument began over a club choice dispute where Allenby said he wanted to hit a 7-iron but Middlemo insisted he hit an 8-iron. The shot came up short, which led to the exchange. 

Middlemo explained his side of the story to ESPN.com after the round, and it was a very different account of what happened. 

"The discussion was only about waiting for the wind to die down and hit the 8-iron," Middlemo said. "The 7-iron was never discussed. Not once. He came up 10 meters short of the front of the green. ... He hit a bad shot.

"He said, 'I can't believe this fat c---,' loud enough for everyone to hear. There's a lot as a caddie I can take but a personal attack like that. ... If this was an office in any country in the world, that would be considered bullying. ... I can take it if you call me the worst caddie in the world, tell me I'm horrible at picking clubs, but there's a line you just can't cross."

Middlemo also offered up further explanation of his final interaction with Allenby as he walked off the 18th green to Golf Channel. 

"I said, 'Look, if you want someone to abuse, get someone out of the parking lot,'" Middlemo said. "He said, 'I'm going to get a caddie banned for life on this tour.' And I asked if it was me, and he said, 'Yes.' That was it."

The entire situation is extremely strange and Middlemo claims Allenby was "again using the media to make himself look like the victim." Middlemo's account of the incident is a bad look for Allenby, and the PGA Tour is looking into it as tour official Steve Cartman has spoken with multiple parties that witnessed it. 

"He’s just a bully," Middlemo told Fox Sports Australia. "He likes to bully caddies. You couldn’t get away with that in any workplace in the world, but somehow he thinks it’s appropriate on a golf course.

"It’s the worst I’ve ever heard. But it’s not like I’m the first guy this has happened to with him. I’m the fourth caddie to walk off the golf course with him."