Will Zalatoris Explains Firing Caddie, 'Best Friend' Ryan Goble Mid-Round on PGA Tour

Will Zalatoris explained he fired his caddie and "best friend" Ryan Goble to save their relationship off the golf course.

"We've kind of had a rough month together and it was starting to affect our relationship," he said, per Adam Smith of the Times-News (h/t USA Today). "I know guys say that when they split, but it really was. We were guys that we would love to have dinner together and hang out and what was happening on the course was starting to bleed off the course and that's not what you want."

He fired Goble on Friday following the second round of the Wyndham Championship. Coach Josh Gregory was the emergency fill-in for Saturday's third round.

"He's basically been my best friend for the last three years," Zalatoris said of Goble. "It was just getting a little unhealthy for both of us and obviously it hurts."

Zalatoris has been one of the best golfers in the world this year with second-place finishes at the U.S. Open and PGA Championship among top-10 placements in the Masters, Memorial Tournament, QBE Shootout, The American Express, the Farmers Insurance Open, the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play and the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Yet things will look different next week during the FedEx Cup playoffs when Joel Stock will be on his bag instead of Goble.

Zalatoris is six strokes back of leader Sungjae Im as he heads into Sunday's final round of the Wyndham Championship.