Hank Haney takes back Rory McIlroy claim

What a difference a few months makes. 

In June, Hank Haney was hugely critical of Rory McIlroy’s caddie Harry Diamond, laying much of the blame for the Irishman’s US Open collapse squarely at the feet of his bagman and best friend.

“I will say this,” said Haney in his summary of the championship. “If Steve Williams was Rory’s caddie, I can promise you he would have never hit a perfect-flight 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.”

Now, though, Tiger Woods’ former coach appears to have changed his tune.

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First spotted by The Irish Post, Haney had this to say when he was asked by a social media follower if he thinks McIlroy will have a new caddie by his side in 2025.

“No, I think his caddie is great for him. I never said he wasn’t great for Rory, I said they made a mistake on #15 at the US Open. I actually am actually a big fan of friend caddie’s, anyone can make a mistake.”

McIlroy, you might remember, issue a stinging rebuke of Haney and other critics of Diamond ahead of this summer’s Scottish Open at The Renaissance.

“These guys that criticise when things don’t go my way, they never say anything good when things do go my way,” said the four-time major champion.

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“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? 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.

“At the end of the day, they are not there. They are in the in the arena. They are not the ones hitting the shots and making the decisions.

“Someone said to me once, if you would never take advice from these people, you would never take their criticisms, either.

“I certainly wouldn’t go to Hank Haney for advice.”

Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor