Golfer throws tantrum after caddie’s move

Australian golfer Rhein Gibson has apologized for throwing a putter cover at his caddie and “firing” him for picking up his ball on the 18th hole of the final round of the Web.com’s Bahamas Great Abaco Classic on Wednesday.

Gibson was one shot off the lead in the tournament before slipping out of contention in controversial fashion.

It began when Gibson, who was tied for second, hooked an approach on the par-5 18th into some rocks beside the green.

Caddie Brandon Davis, in a video posted on social media titled “I Got Fired,” said: “We looked for the ball. I’m thinking ‘there’s some rocks here, a few other things … maybe we can find it, maybe we can hit it.’ ”

Davis said a tour official then found the ball.

“Rhein and I go over, look at it, I say ‘it’s under two rocks, we got nothing.’ Rhein turns around and walks to his bag as if to say ‘forget it’ — clearly intending never to play the ball.

“Supposedly we’re a team in this game. The ball is dead, Rhein is clearly not hitting this golf ball, so I go over and pick it up.”

Gibson, 31, took a penalty drop, and Davis said the problem was exacerbated when an official claimed Gibson was also due a one-shot penalty for his caddie “not getting consent” to pick the ball up.

That extra stroke meant the Australian, who removed the cover off his putter and threw it at Davis in frustration, dropped to third.

“I cost my player $16,000 because I went over to a hazard and picked up a golf ball,” Davis said.

Gibson has since apologized, saying his actions “were less than professional.”

“He plays a lot better when he’s mad. We’re friends off the golf course,” Davis said.

Gibson