Tag: Harry Diamond

Criticism towards Rory McIlroy’s caddie after U.S. Open loss doesn’t sit well with Shane Lowry: ‘It makes my blood boil’

“They don’t see how hard Harry works and how good he is for Rory.”

After Rory McIlroy’s stunning defeat at the U.S. Open last month, several media members and hundreds of fans criticized Harry Diamond, McIlroy’s caddie, for a lack of communication down the stretch.

For example, Smylie Kaufman had this to say during an appearance on Golf’s Subpar Podcast: “I felt like (caddie) Harry Diamond really should have stepped in on the 15th hole. He did not have the right club in his hands. And I felt like Rory could have taken control of the championship on 15 if he just hits it in the middle of the green. And he hit a good shot. But it just was the wrong club.”

Hank Haney commented on the same situation via social media: “If Steve Williams was Rory’s caddie I can promise you he would have never hit a perfect flighted 7-iron that rolled over the green on 15 into a terrible lie.”

McIlroy came to his looper’s defense before last week’s Genesis Scottish Open, where he’d go on to finish T-4, and now it’s another Irishman sticking up for Diamond.

“It makes my blood boil, to be honest,” Lowry told BBC Sport NI at Royal Troon before the 152nd Open Championship. “They don’t see how hard Harry works and how good he is for Rory. Just because he’s not standing in the middle of the tee box like other caddies who want to be seen and heard doesn’t mean that his voice isn’t heard by Rory.”

The Open: Tournament hub | Thursday tee times | Photos

It’d be tough to find another Tour player who spends more time with McIlroy and Diamond than Lowry. They have been friends for years, play practice rounds together before major championships, have been Ryder Cup teammates twice (2021, 2023) and represented Ireland at the 2021 Olympics. Plus, they won the Zurich Classic as a team earlier this season.

If anyone knows how well McIlroy and Diamond work together, it’s Lowry.

For the opening round of The Open, world No. 33 Lowry tees off Thursday at 9:59 a.m. ET alongside Cameron Smith and Matt Fitzpatrick. Rory McIlroy is grouped with Max Homa and Tyrrell Hatton at 5:09 a.m.

Amid criticism of his caddie, Rory McIlroy didn’t pull any punches in his defense at 2024 Genesis Scottish Open

“Certainly wouldn’t go to Hank Haney for advice.”

The last time we saw Rory McIlroy, he was driving away from Pinehurst No. 2 after gifting the U.S. Open to Bryson DeChambeau thanks to three bogeys over his final four holes, two of which were results of short misses with the putter.

He makes his return to the PGA Tour this week at the 2024 Genesis Scottish Open, a tournament he won in spectacular fashion last year with a stinger 2-iron into The Renaissance Club’s final green.

For the first time since his crushing defeat, the Northern Irishman spoke with the media Wednesday and faced many questions regarding that fateful afternoon in North Carolina.

But among the inquiries about the final hour of the USGA’s flagship event, McIlroy was asked about the online criticism his caddie, Harry Diamond, has received since their last time on the course.

For some context, Hank Haney tweeted this a few days after DeChambeau’s win:

And Smylie Kaufman said this during an appearance on Golf’s Subpar Podcast:

“I felt like (caddie) Harry Diamond really should have stepped in on the 15th hole.

“He did not have the right club in his hands. And I felt like Rory could have taken control of the championship on 15 if he just hits it in the middle of the green. And he hit a good shot. But it just was the wrong club.

“And never, never was a 7-iron for Rory. Especially with a right flag. If the wind was down off the right, it’s not exactly a flag and a wind condition and the heat to be able to land it in a hula hoop, where you got to hit this kind of soft, spinny, fade 7-iron. It was an 8-iron all day, hit it in the middle of the green.”

Scottish Open: Picks to win | Tournament hub | Photos

McIlroy didn’t pull any punches coming to his looper’s defense.

“You know, it’s certainly unfair. Hank Haney has never been in that position. Smylie has been in that position once, and I love Smylie, and he was out there with us on 18.

“But just because Harry is not as vocal or loud with his words as other caddies, it doesn’t mean that he doesn’t say anything and that he doesn’t do anything. I just wish that, you know, these guys that criticize when things don’t go my way, they never say anything good when things do go my way.

“So where were they when I won Dubai earlier this year or Quail Hollow or the two FedEx Cups that I’ve won with Harry or the two Ryder Cups or whatever? They are never there to say Harry did such a great job when I win, but they are always there to criticize when we don’t win.

“At the end of the day, they are not there. They are not the ones hitting the shots and making the decisions. Someone said to me once, you would never — if you would never take advice from these people, you would never take their criticisms, either. Certainly wouldn’t go to Hank Haney for advice. I love Smylie, but I think I know what I’m doing, and so does Harry.”

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland smiles on the second tee during the Pro-Am prior to the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club on July 10, 2024, in North Berwick, Scotland. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

McIlroy started working with Diamond in 2017 after his split with JP Fitzgerald, who he was paired with for eight years. The two have known each other since their junior days at Holywood Golf Club back home in Northern Ireland.

The world No. 2 is the betting favorite in North Berwick, and no doubt enters the week with added motivation and a chip on his shoulder.

We’ll see if he and his caddie can silence the critics this weekend.

Rory McIlroy on celebrating his third FedEx Cup: ‘We might find a few really nice bottles of red wine’

“Conversations with Champions presented by Sentry” is a weekly series from Golfweek.

“Conversations with Champions presented by Sentry” is a weekly series from Golfweek. This week, we take a look at Rory McIlroy basking in the glory of winning the 2022 Tour Championship.

Third time’s a charm?

Rory McIlroy captured his third FedEx Cup title at East Lake Golf Club on Sunday, becoming the first PGA Tour player to win it three times.

He did so in stellar comeback fashion. He began the week six shots back of leader Scottie Scheffler due to the Staggered Strokes format. After a rough start, McIlroy quickly found himself 10 shots off the lead. But then he put his head down and went to work, posting scores of 67-67-63-66 to finish at 21 under. In terms of raw numbers, he had the best week, going 17 under.

The highlight of his Sunday charge was when he drained a 30-footer for birdie on the 16th hole.

After his round, McIlroy made the rounds in celebration. One of the first things he did was congratulate Scheffler’s family.

During a post-round gathering, McIlroy couldn’t help but take a friendly jab at good buddy Tiger Woods, who has won the FedEx Cup twice.

McIlroy was also seen congratulating his caddie, Harry Diamond, on a job well done.

On Monday, McIlroy posted a message about his win, giving credit to Scheffler while reaffirming his alignment with the PGA Tour.

So what’s next?

McIlroy discussed having a delayed celebration with one of his good friends and some fine wine.

“I had a conversation with Shane Lowry yesterday, and it’s Poppy’s birthday on Wednesday and his kids are going to come around our house for Poppy’s birthday,” McIlroy said of his young daughter. “He said, ‘I’ll see you next week and we can celebrate with the FedEx Cup.’ I was like, ‘yeah, whatever.’ I was eight back at the time. I was like, ‘yeah, I’ll just see you next week.’

“Lo and behold, we might find a few really nice bottles of red wine tomorrow night in my wine cellar and open them up and have a good time.”

[vertical-gallery id=778292431]