Rory McIlroy took a swing at the critics who came after his caddie following the Northern Irishman’s collapse at the U.S. Open.
“These guys that criticize when things don’t go my way, they never say anything good when things do go my way,” McIlroy told reporters from the Scottish Open on Wednesday.
Harry Diamond, McIlroy’s childhood friend and caddie since 2017, has come under fire for some decisions made down the stretch of last month’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst.
That includes McIlroy hitting 7 iron, instead of 8, on the par-3 15th that went over the green, and driver into the wispy grass wide of a tight fairway on 18.
McIlroy specifically mentioned Tiger Woods’ former coach Hank Haney — who wrote “wrong club, wrong shot” on X — and TV commentator Smylie Kaufman when asked about the criticism in his first public comments since the US Open.
“Hank Haney has never been in that position,” McIlroy, who has not won a major since 2014. “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. These guys that criticize when things don’t go my way, they never say anything good when things do go my way.”
Both decisions contributed to bogeys as McIlroy let a two-stroke lead slip away to Bryson DeChambeau.
Haney suggested the decisions would have been different if McIroy had a more experienced caddie, like Steve Williams who worked with Tiger Woods early in his career, by his side.
“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.
Despite his failings in the majors, McIlroy still has enjoyed incredible success with half of his 26 PGA Tour wins coming with Diamond on the bag.
“Where were they when I won Dubai earlier year, or Quail Hollow, or the two FedEx Cups that I’ve won with Harry, or the two Ryder Cups, or whatever?” McIlroy said. “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.”
Kaufman provided his breakdown of the situation while appearing on Golf’s Subpar podcast.
“I felt like Harry Diamond really should have stepped in on the 15th hole,” he said.
“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.”
Hearing the news and facing the media for the first time since Tuesday’s heartbreaking loss, the four-time major champion stood tall in Diamond’s corner.
McIlroy also discussed the two short putts he missed on 16 and 18 that were largely blamed for the defeat.
Kaufman, a former PGA Tour pro, defended his commentary of McIlroy on Wednesday, while noting it was not a personal attack of Diamond.
“It really is an impossible course to caddie on as it is so complex to try to figure out what club to pull,” Kaufman wrote on X. “When good shots end up in bad places I always have to question the decision making as it’s my job to do so. I have nothing but respect for Rory and Harry as I think they make a great team and wishing them both the best this week and future weeks.”
McIlroy is set to tee up at the Renaissance Club on Thursday, where he will have the chance to defend his throne of the Scottish Open.