DUBAI // The Omega Dubai Ladies Masters will cease play for a minute’s silence on Thursday, as a mark of respect to the caddie who died on Wednesday after collapsing on the course.
The first day’s play at Emirates Golf Club was initially suspended at 10.30am, when a male caddie, carrying the bag for Frenchwoman Anne-Lise Caudal, collapsed on the par-5 13th.
He was attended to by on-site medical staff and then taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital. His death was confirmed by the Ladies European Tour (LET) in a statement at 12.10pm. He is suspected to have died of a heart attack.
The caddie’s identity was not released by the Tour, but he was later confirmed by organisers Golf in Dubai as Austrian Maximillian Zechmann, a retired former European Tour caddie who had been living in Dubai for the past two years.
During his career, Zechmann won events while caddying for Marcel Siem and Markus Brier. Before releasing their original statement, the LET contacted a close friend of Zechmann’s who in turn informed the deceased’s family. Born in 1960, Zechman, 56, is survived by wife Elinor and three sons: Maximilian, Ryan and Marco.
Scotland’s Carly Booth, who was playing in the same group as Caudal and American Blair O’Neal, tweeted on Wednesday: “Tough start today for our group to experience something so horrendous. Thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Max #sadday”
• Round 1: Caddie dies after collapsing at Omega Dubai Ladies Masters at Emirates Golf Club
American Paige Spiranac, playing in the group in front, took to social media as well, tweeting: “Praying for the family and friends of the caddie. It just shows you that there’s so much more to life than a good or bad round.”
Meanwhile, Thomas Bjorn, the newly appointed European captain for the 2018 Ryder Cup, and Golf in Dubai ambassador, tweeted: “Dreadful news out of Dubai this morning. Thoughts are with loved ones and everyone involved. @LETgolf RIP”
All players were taken off the Majlis Course immediately after the incident on Wednesday, with the morning three-balls yet to complete their first round. The tournament, the season-concluding event on the LET, resumes at 8.15am on Thursday and has been shortened to 54 holes. The cut will be made following Friday’s Round 2.
Ivan Khodabakhsh, chief executive of the LET, said: “Everyone at the Ladies European Tour is extremely shocked and saddened today by this sudden death and therefore we have taken the decision to suspend first round play as a mark of respect. On behalf of our membership, we offer heartfelt condolences to the individual’s family and loved ones.”
Mohammed Juma Buamaim, vice chairman and chief executive of Golf in Dubai said: “We are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of this caddie. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this difficult time. May his soul rest in peace.”
A similar tragedy struck the European Tour in 2014, when Zimbabwean caddie Ian MacGregor died of a heart attack while working for Scotland’s Alastair Forsyth at the Madeira Islands Open. On that occasion, the Tour was heavily criticised for not suspending play.
Khodabakhsh said the LET had made the correct call, saying: “I don’t think it was a difficult decision. I will not comment on any other incidents. As soon as we understood it was a serious case we then decided to suspend play in order to collect the facts and understand what’s going on. We don’t want players to be traumatised. And it was also was out of respect for the person involved so we could provide our full attention to the case.
“And in this time we had then the opportunity to collect all the facts and understand what was going on. We had very much hoped that it was not as serious as it looked, but unfortunately that was not the case. I think [the decision] was well received by all the players.
“I’ve been speaking to a number of players and of course I spoke to Anne-Lise. Without question, she was pretty shocked and shaken, but it’s every players’ own way of coping with the situation. She’s surrounded by her many friends. But yes, it’s tragic to see somebody like that.”
Khodabakhsh added that Caudal had chosen Zechmann to be her caddy for the event earlier this week. All players are expected to wear black ribbons during play on Thursday.
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