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    •  August 1, 2017

    Rory McIlroy fires longtime caddie after nine years and four major titles

    August 1, 2017
    Harvey Jamison
    Contributor
    Harvey Jamison
    HarveyJamison

    2017 has been a year of change for World No. 4, Rory McIlroy; new clubs and ball with TaylorMade, a new adventure with wife Erica Stroll, and just as the season draws to an end, a new caddie on the bag.

    After finishing tied-fourth in the Open Championship in their last start, Monday morning was set to be as calm as any other, but Reuters broke the news early of the split between McIlroy and caddie of nine years, JP Fitzgerald.

    Firstly, JP and McIlroy have achieved greatness together and rocketed Rory’s image and career to millions. McIlroy, winning his last major at the 2014 U.S. PGA Championship, teamed up with Fitzgerald in 2008 shortly after turning professional and since then has won four major’s in total.

    13 victories on both the PGA and European Tours, four Ryder Cup appearances, plus a list of honours the length of my arm and I’m 6ft 2″!

    The pair has been a silent but deadly partnership in the past when getting the job done, unlike the inseparable Phil and ‘Bones’ or brute pairing of Tiger and Steve Williams.

    But, why now? The news came as a huge shock to many fans across the world. Especially after JP told Rory all the right things at Birkdale last week, turning his tournament around after a rough start.

    If all it takes to get Rory McIlroy firing on all cylinders, is a firm voice from his caddie saying ‘You are Rory McIlroy. What are you doing? What the f*** are you doing?, then where has that been at Augusta National since his meltdown in 2011?

    McIlroy is a sportsman, he plays full of emotion and blows hot and cold throughout rounds and tournaments, with the latter seeing him fizzle out of contention on the leaderboard, a sight we’ve seen far too often in recent months.

    He has the game. Just like every commentator pointed out before the Masters opening round, if he played his best then he could beat the likes of Spieth and DJ. But his mood suffers and as an athlete who pours all his emotions into every single movement on the course, he grows impatient and undoubtedly needs someone to boost his confidence.

    Just like every good football team has a weathered captain on the bridge of a ship, the world’s most talented golfer needs a firm voice by his side in the most desperate times.

    Compare it to what Tiger Woods had with Stevie Williams for twelve years, a bull dog keeping his man in the zone all round long. Herding fans away and whacking down cameras was all part of the job, to let Tiger be Tiger and just concentrate on executing his next exquisite shot.

    Take nothing away from JP, this shouldn’t dent his armour. He has brought Rory huge success and offered him what every golfer desires on the fairways; a friend and someone you can always rely on.

    McIlroy already gave his long-time friend the highest praise:

    “He has taken me from 200 in the world to major champion,” McIlroy said of Fitzgerald in 2011.

    But McIlroy needs change.

    Come the Sunday evening of the 2017 US PGA Championship, if the Northern Irishman does not win, then twelve major championships would have passed without him even truly contending; six top-tens, three missed cuts, and one solo 17th.

    On paper, these are mostly stellar achievements, but McIlroy is hunting to go that step further. This change could offer him a more hardened and ‘all out’ attitude to be gutsy and fearless, to not explode and go in reverse after hitting one bad wedge shot long.

    2011 may have shown early signs of the pair not fully coping well under the highest of pressure, after the final-round collapse with a four-shot lead heading into the final 18 holes at Augusta and bowing out with a closing 80.

    Source: Getty Images

    McIlroy could be seen notably distressed on the back-nine but there was no rousing Birkdale rally, that took six more years.

    If all it takes is a simple ‘f******’ swing thought to get you to close with three birdies in your final four holes, then James Hahn is giving that advice out for free.

    Since 2015, even with McIlroy continuously sidelined with injuries, the pair has been stuck in a lackluster rhythm. Hard-to-take missed cuts, putting woes, magnificent rounds sidetracked by crushing meltdowns and the evading Green Jacket have clouded the partnership.

    Maybe a fresh set of eyes is best for the 28-year-old, a pair that can see Augusta National as a new track, a place that should play into McIlroy’s hands. High-towering drives, high-launching, and soft-landing iron shots should dominate the tournament that has evaded him the most.

    These eyes could give Rory McIlroy a renewed sense of playing freedom. After nine years as caddie the pair won’t part on bad terms, neither party has a bad word to say about the other. Forbes has estimated that JP earned $1.65 million from his percentage of McIlroy’s prize money over the last 12 months until June this year.

    https://twitter.com/WillGrayGC/status/892125430718898178

    All we know is that best-friend Harry Diamond will caddie for McIlroy in the next two events, starting at the WGC Bridgestone this week in Akron, and then after that who knows? But one thing is for sure, Rory made the right choice.

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