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Melbourne - Patrick Reed's caddie Kessler Karain was banned from carrying his bags in Sunday's singles match at the Presidents Cup for shoving a fan after tensions boiled over following barracking of the player by spectators.
Reed, part of Tiger Woods' US team at Royal Melbourne, was docked two strokes for improving his lie in sand in the Bahamas last week, causing International team opponent Cameron Smith of Australia to brand him a cheat.
The row spilled into the biennial match play event with sections of the crowd taunting Reed over the episode he has insisted was unintentional.
"Following an incident that took place on Saturday at the Presidents Cup involving Kessler Karain and a spectator, Karain will not return to caddie for Sunday's final-round singles matches," the PGA Tour said in a statement.
Reed said he respected the decision, adding: "We are all focused on winning the Presidents Cup tomorrow."
The Golf Channel said an altercation took place after Reed and Webb Simpson were thumped 5 and 3 in the morning fourballs by Taiwan's CT Pan and Japan's Hideki Matsuyama.
ESPN reported that Karain, the brother of Reed's wife, punched the fan, but in a statement to the broadcaster he only admitted shoving him.
Karain said he lost his temper after a fan swore at Reed.
"As a caddie one of your jobs is to protect your player. And unlike several other sports, in golf fans can get pretty close to athletes," he said.
"We have been known for having fun with some good banter, but after hearing several fans in Australia for three days some had taken it too far, I had enough. And this gentleman was one of them.
"I got off the cart and shoved him, said a couple things, probably a few expletives. Security came and I got back in (the) cart and left. I don't think there's one caddie I know that could blame me," he added.
Last week in the Bahamas Reed's practice swings had twice moved sand from behind his ball in a waste bunker, but he insisted he had not deliberately improved his lie, despite being penalised.
After calling him a cheat, Smith admitted earlier this week: "I think our friendship, I guess, is not quite there anymore."
Draw for Sunday's Presidents Cup final-round singles matches between the International and US teams at Royal Melbourne Golf Club (International team first):
SA times
Abraham Ancer v Tiger Woods - 01:02
Hideki Matsuyama v Tony Finau - 01:12
CT Pan v Patrick Reed - 01:24
Li Haotong v Dustin Johnson - 01:35
Adam Hadwin v Bryson DeChambeau - 01:46
Im Sung-jae v Gary Woodland - 01:57
Joaquin Niemann v Patrick Cantlay - 02:08
Adam Scott v Xander Schauffele - 02: 19
An Byeong-hun v Webb Simpson - 02:30
Cameron Smith v Justin Thomas - 02:41
Louis Oosthuizen v Matt Kuchar - 02:52
Marc Leishman v Rickie Fowler - 03:03
Match score:
International team 10 US team 8. First to 15.5 points wins the Presidents Cup.
