Johnson and caddy part ways

     In a surprising move, PGA Tour golfer Dustin Johnson and his caddy, Bobby Brown are splitting up.  Brown, who had come under fire from critics for not helping his golfer more during incidents at both the 2010 U.S. Open and PGA Championship, had been defended by Johnson in a recent article published in Golf Magazine.  Johnson was quoted in that atricle as saying, "Bobby and I are fine, no tension, his job is safe."  Johnson had been questioned by Golf Magazine editor at large Connell Barrett about Brown's performance during the previously mentioned incidents and a tee time mix up at the 2011 Northern Trust Open that cost Johnson a two-stroke penalty and nearly saw him disqualified from the tournament.

     Typically, tour caddies relieve their players of smaller, detail oriented responsibilities like checking tee times.  The criticism of Brown's performance in the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach last year was centered around his actions, or lack thereof, during Johnson's meltdown early in the final round.  Many observers felt that Brown should have tried to prevent Johnson from hurrying to attempt an ill advised series of shots starting on the second hole.  At the PGA championship at Whistling Straghts last August, Brown was again heavily criticized for not being aware that the sandy area Johnson was standing in off of the 18th  fairway in the final round was a hazard.  Johnson grounded his club in the hazard, which had been rendered difficult to recognize due to spectator traffic, resulting in a two stroke penalty and a tie for fifth instead of a place in a playoff.

     Johnson is next in action at the Ballantine's Championship in Seoul, South Korea next week.  According to his agent, David Winkle, Johnson expects to try more than one caddy before settling on a replacement for Brown."This isn't about finding a replacement as quickly as possible," Winkle said in an email to Golf Digest's Tim Rosaforte. "It's about finding the right person for the long term. More than likely, Dustin will have a trial run with a few different guys before making any decisions. Just as with any player/caddy relationship, it's not just about experience and caddying skills, but also about chemistry."