Rory McIlroy’s finish at Torrey Pines over the weekend wasn’t going well, and when one fan criticized his caddie, it pushed the wrong button.
McIlroy fell down the leaderboard at the Genesis Invitational after some poor putting, leaving him T-17th for the tournament at 3-under when the final scorecard was signed.
Well, one fan was heard yelling, “Blame your caddie,” according to golf reporter Dan Rapoport.
Rory McIlroy stands on the first hole during the final round of the Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines. (Denis Poroy-Imagn Images)
“Shut the f— up,” Rapoport said McIlroy retorted.
The fan’s callout to McIlroy came after a missed 12-foot putt that went just past the hole on the right for a missed birdie.
McIlroy’s caddie, Harry Diamond, has been with the PGA Tour star since 2017. Their relationship as 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥hood friends runs deeper.
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The struggles for McIlroy on the green came on Saturday, as he finished last in shots gained for the day. And there were no major adjustments in his final round on Sunday.
Putting, though, has been a major sticking point for McIlroy since his disastrous meltdown at the 2024 U.S. Open, which Bryson DeChambeau ultimately won.
McIlroy missed two short putts in the final round at Pinehurst No. 2, and those mistakes led to him missing out on his closest chance at his first major since 2014.
Rory McIlroy hits his tee shot on the second hole during the final round of the Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines. (Denis Poroy-Imagn Images)
Naturally, Diamond was brought into the conversation for the reads on those putts, as well as a club choice on the par-3 15th hole in the final round that led McIlroy to hitting it over the green. He would finish with a bogey there.
“You know it’s certainly unfair,” McIlroy said, via Golf Week, in defense of Diamond after the U.S. Open finish.
“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. I just wish that, you know, these guys that criticize when things don’t go my way, they never say anything good when things do go my way. So where were they when I won Dubai earlier this year or Quail Hollow or the two FedEx Cups that I’ve won with Harry or the two Ryder Cups or whatever? 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.”
Rory McIlroy hits out of the bunker on the 18th hole during the third round of the Genesis Invitational. (Denis Poroy-Imagn Images)
McIlroy won earlier this year as well, taking home the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am with a 21-under finish to beat Shane Lowry by two strokes. McIlroy took home $3.6 million at the PGA Tour signature event.
