Former Tiger Woods Coach Criticizes Rory McIlroy’s Caddie for US Open Meltdown

Former Tiger Woods Coach Criticizes Rory McIlroy’s Caddie for US Open Meltdown

In the aftermath of Rory McIlroy’s dramatic collapse at the US Open, Hank Haney, former swing coach to Tiger Woods, has pinpointed McIlroy’s caddie as the reason behind the unfortunate turn of events. McIlroy, who was accompanied by his close friend and caddie Harry Diamond at Pinehurst, faltered in the closing stages, missing crucial putts and allowing Bryson DeChambeau to clinch victory with a superb sand-save on the final hole.

McIlroy, 35, had displayed remarkable prowess on the greens throughout the week but was unable to sustain his momentum when it mattered most. Haney, however, believes the blame lies not with McIlroy but with Diamond, whose club choices he found baffling.

“I will say this, 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 because he would have hit an 8 iron and sent it straight up in the air and held the green,” Haney wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).

Haney’s critique suggests that a more experienced caddie might have prevented the pivotal bogey on the 15th hole, a turning point that shifted the momentum in DeChambeau’s favor. On the 18th hole, McIlroy opted to use a driver off the tee, a departure from his strategy in the first three rounds where he used a three-wood. The drive veered left into the rough, forcing McIlroy to play conservatively and ultimately leading to a bogey.

“Wrong club, wrong shot, bad plan,” Haney added. He highlighted that historically, players who have won more than two majors tend to secure victory about one-third of the time when in serious contention on a Sunday. Given this statistic, Haney suggested that McIlroy’s win was far from guaranteed, but his caddie’s decisions certainly didn’t help.

McIlroy’s decade-long quest for another major title continues, with this latest disappointment exacerbated by what many, including Haney, see as poor decision-making by his caddie. The incident has sparked widespread criticism of Diamond, with DP World Tour star Eddie Pepperell also weighing in.

“Sometimes, to win a golf tournament, you need to limp over the line, and I’m adamant that it is your caddie on occasions like that can really be the difference,” Pepperell said on The Chipping Forecast podcast. He expressed his belief that with a stronger caddie, McIlroy might have avoided the costly bogey on the 15th hole.

“I just think Rory needs somebody who’s capable, like (former caddie) JP (Fitzgerald) probably used to be able to do and help him get across that line,” Pepperell added.

The critiques of Diamond reflect a broader debate in the golf community about the impact of caddies on players’ performances, particularly in high-pressure situations. As McIlroy continues his pursuit of another major title, the role of his caddie remains under intense scrutiny, with many wondering if a change might be necessary to finally end his drought.