“A great caddie there would have said, ‘No, Rory, you aren’t hitting this club.'” This is what Nick O’Hern, a former professional golfer, believes is missing from Rory McIlroy’s game. O’Hern thinks that McIlroy’s caddie, Harry Diamond, is too soft-spoken and lacks the experience to make crucial decisions during major tournaments. This criticism comes after McIlroy’s latest major drought, with his last win coming in 2014.

O’Hern suggests that a more experienced caddie, like Billy Foster, would be better equipped to help McIlroy win majors. Foster has worked with several top golfers, including Matt Fitzpatrick, and has the expertise to make strategic decisions during high-pressure situations. Interestingly, Foster has recently parted ways with Fitzpatrick, making him a potential candidate for the job.

However, instead of throwing his hat into the ring, Foster has come out in support of Harry Diamond. Foster believes that the criticism of Diamond is unfair, stating that “it makes me laugh really at the people getting on his back.” He points out that McIlroy has had a successful run, winning two Signature Events and The Players Championship in four starts. “He has just won two Signature Events and The Players Championship, in four starts and they’re still on his back,” Foster said, and further came the five-word blow that silenced everyone, “Give the lad a break.” 

Foster’s advice to Diamond is to ignore the negative comments, saying, “Harry, don’t read the s**e. That’s simple as. Because it is s**e.” He believes that Diamond is a very good caddie who does everything right and that he just needs to be left alone to do his job. “He does everything right; he just needs to be left alone and left to get on with it. He does a really good job,” Foster added, per Golf Monthly.

With Foster’s endorsement, it seems that Diamond has the support he needs to continue working with McIlroy. Well, McIlroy is all too familiar with fans criticizing, and so is Diamond, as this happened in 2024 as well.

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Rory McIlroy defends caddie Harry Diamond amidst criticism

After his U.S. Open collapse at Pinehurst, golf analysts were quick to dissect what went wrong, with some pointing fingers at Diamond. NBC’s Smylie Kaufman and instructor Hank Haney took to the radio to criticize Diamond’s decision-making, specifically on the 15th hole, where McIlroy hit a 7-iron that bounded over the green, leading to a bogey. Kaufman said Diamond should have stepped in and suggested a different club, while Haney claimed that a more experienced caddie like Steve Williams would have prevented the mistake.

McIlroy has had enough of the criticism, calling Kaufman and Haney’s comments “certainly unfair.” He defended Diamond, saying that just because he’s not as vocal as other caddies, it doesn’t mean he’s not doing his job. McIlroy pointed out that critics are quick to blame Diamond when things go wrong but are nowhere to be found when he wins. “If you would never take advice from these people, you would never take their criticisms, either,” McIlroy said. He made it clear that he trusts Diamond and values their partnership, and that’s all that matters. But what do you think? Let us know in the comment section below!