Rory McIlroy will have a new caddie on his bag at the Bridgestone Invitational in Akron this week after confirmation arrived that the former world No1 has split with his caddie of nine years, JP Fitzgerald, after finishing tied-fourth in the Open Championship last time out.
McIlroy, who won four majors and 26 tour titles in tandem with the Dubliner, paid tribute to him at Birkdale less than a fortnight ago for a pep talk which pulled him round after opening up with five bogeys in six holes. “He just sort of reminded me what I was capable of. And gave me a few positive thoughts,” he said. “JP, he reminded me who I was, basically. He said: ‘You’re Rory McIlroy, what the fuck are you doing?’”
Harry Diamond, a friend from McIlroy’s boyhood club, Holywood, may do the job at Firestone this week but there is no news of a permanent appointment from the player’s camp and with the US PGA due next week at Quail Hollow and an eight-month wait until the next major, the need is pressing. Diamond has caddied for him before, notably at the 2008 Dubai Desert Classic.
McIlroy, who has not won a major since picking up two in 2014 and after which Jordan Spieth has managed three, has been a vociferous defender of Fitzgerald in the past, notably after the player imploded on the back nine of his final round at the 2011 Masters with a first major in sight. The loyalty seemed justified two months later when McIlroy won the US Open. “He has taken me from 200 in the world to major champion,” he said afterwards and not long before becoming No1 in the world.
It has been a year of change for McIlroy, currently the world No4 and who had to find a new club supplier after Nike pulled out of the equipment market, found himself hiring a new putting coach after struggling on the greens to the extent that he used three putters in three rounds at the Travelers Championship in June, and also got married in April.
Phil Mickelson parted company with his caddie, Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay in June after an association that lasted 25 years and realised five major championships. The left-hander’s brother Tim took the job and unusually they missed the halfway cut at Birkdale.
Fitzgerald, who Forbes magazine reports to have earned $1.65m alone in the 12 months until June, has also caddied for Paul McGinley, Darren Clarke and Ernie Els.
