I'd argue golf is a mental sport. You're in that zone and nothing is better than striking the ball and putting it in the cup. With tons of fans, you want to be like Happy Gilmore and want to strike other people, but like him, you can't. Hecklers can do whatever they want for the most part.
I'd see Patrick Reed's caddie getting suspended a little bit for this. And I'm talking more than just this match. Things got horrible when he beat up a fan and he is banned for tomorrow's President's Cup round. Kessler Karain has to show some restraint. Even he can't mess with fans. You could ask for removal of a fan. Davis Love did that in 2004 when one kept heckling "No Love" and the guy was gone.
Even more so than basketball and hockey, golfers are more vulnerable to visceral takedowns and all that. It's not ridiculous like in Happy where the heckler hits him with the car and blows up a TV tower, but it's up close and center. The toll it takes is enormous because one little thing can turn a day upside down. But you also have the ones that will cheer on when you go to the tee and when you have the round of your life, the support for you grows.
Terrible to hear what happened, but caddies have to be careful, too. Don't let the hecklers or fans bother them that much. Remove them quickly if they become a headache. Hopefully, it sets a reminder to some people not to do this.
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