Lee Westwood has split with long-term caddy Billy Foster as a result of the bagman's ongoing injury problems.
Westwood (R) and Foster back in April.
Foster sustained a knee ligament injury while playing in a charity football match back in May, and has been sidelined ever since.
While he initially stated that he would wait for Foster to recover and return, the length of his lay-off has now forced the Englishman to reconsider.
"Billy was extremely disappointed, as you can imagine," Westwood's manager Chubby Chandler told the Daily Mail. "He's just had the most boring six months of his life.
"But Lee is at that stage of his career where he has to be a little bit selfish. He's only got four or five prime years left and he simply can't afford to mess about with this one coming up.
"Billy hopes to be fit enough at the start of next year to caddy for one week and then have one week off. But Lee is playing six tournaments in a row, starting in Dubai next February, and you can't have Billy one week and then another caddy the following week.
"It was a difficult decision because we all know how good Billy is as a caddy and they're great mates as well."
Westwood's hand was most likely forced when he learned that Foster's stand-in, Zimbabwean Mike Kerr, was offered a full-time position by Sergio Garcia.
Foster admitted he was gutten when he heard the news.
"It's been very difficult these last six months - I've been in a dark tunnel," Foster said.
"I've only started walking again these last two weeks, so to get the call from Lee just as I was starting to see the light again was unbelievably disappointing and made it harder to take.
"We had such a laugh together, have been great mates and were very successful, but it's a tough game for caddies and I've just to focus on getting myself right.
"I'm a strong character and I'll be fine - I know I will be - but all this because of a freak accident. I wasn't even playing in the game when it happened."
golf365.com