Colin Montgomerie believes Rory McIlroy’s caddie cost him at the US Open. Harry Diamond came in for criticism for his role in the Northern Irishman’s agonising defeat at Pinehurst last month.
Three bogeys in the last four holes virtually gifted the victory to Bryson DeChambeau. Some felt Diamond should’ve stepped in on more than one occasion during that nightmare spell.
McIlroy defended his caddie and long-time friend last week, calling out critics Smylie Kaufman and Hank Haney. But Montgomerie also believes poor club selection was to blame.
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Speaking to the Times, he first highlighted the decision of a seven-iron on the par-three 15th. “That was the wrong club because the adrenaline was beginning to pump,” Montgomerie argued.
The Scot went on to claim the use of a driver on the par-four 18th was also an error, continuing: “He hadn’t done it all week and the caddie should have stopped him.
“Bryson was missing every fairway, the worst in the field on Sunday. At the end, he was just thrashing it and it was a long drive competition. What a bunker shot, of course, but he got the luck and Rory didn’t.”
McIlroy reckoned it was “unfair” to pick on Diamond when he’s not praised for his victories. Speaking before he finished T4 at last week’s Scottish Open, he told reporters: “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 criticise when things don’t go my way, they never say anything good when things do go my way. They are never there to say Harry did such a great job when I win, but they are always there to criticise when we don’t win.”
McIlroy and Diamond have won 12 times together since joining forces in 2017. They’ll be looking to silence the doubters by ending his decade-long major drought with Open victory at Royal Troon this week.
