“We’ll be talking about the misses by Rory McIlroy at 16 and 18 forever,” said Brandel Chamblee last year after the Irishman’s blunder at the US Open. Guess what? He wasn’t wrong. Former world #16 Nick O’Hern recently talked about the same. Rory McIlroy hasn’t won any major in the last 10 years. What’s more interesting is he has come close by finishing in the top ten in the last six US Opens.

However, he is off to a good start this season with AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and THE PLAYERS Championship to his name. He will certainly try to continue that with the Masters. However, there is something that is stopping the golfer from adding another major title to his name. What could it be? If your answer is ‘his caddie’ then you are on the same page as O’Hern.

Why Harry Diamond is not a good caddie for Rory McIlroy?

Recently O’Hern was with Mark Allen on the Talk Birdie to Me podcast. They were talking about why Rory McIlroy must appoint a new caddy if he is to win a major in 2025 while doing so last year’s US Open came to light. The conversation started with Billy Foster as he parted ways with Matt Fitzpatrick. O’Hern suggested pros must be vying to have Foster on their bags and Rory McIlroy should be the one to do the same. While talking about it he brought Harry Diamond into the conversation and said “Harry who caddies for Rory and is one of his best mates and he does a very good job. However in those crucial clutch moments that’s when you need someone who’s got the experience who’s got the feel that can sense in.” Well, the golfer and caddie duo have not been able to secure a Major win in the 7 years that they have worked together, and as previously mentioned, Rory has only come close to winning.

He was implying that Diamond isn’t experienced enough to help the Irishman sail through tough moments. Nick O’Hern further supported his remarks saying “If we go back to the US Open okay when he lost to Bryson…I just watched the episode where Bryson and Rory were going at it in the US Open on Netflix so what it was all about is a short miss putt on the 16th and 18th, however what they didn’t cover the reason those things happened was the club selection on 15th Par.”

The golfer further talked about how a good caddie should be. “A great caddie there would have said no Rory you aren’t hitting this club we are gonna put you at the front of this green and you are gonna have a long putt but it will be uphill and I am backing you from the two-putt there.” O’Hern later compared Diamond to Billy Foster saying how Foster might have said “we aren’t doing this,” and provided McIlroy with the best equipment needed. Lastly, he also revealed how Diamond doesn’t have a game plan in mind while he is with the Irishman on the greens.

USA Today via Reuters

Last year, Smylie Kaufman also pointed out a crucial mistake at the 15th hole during the U.S. Open that led to Bryson DeChambeau winning the tournament, saying “I felt like (caddie) Harry Diamond really should have stepped in on the 15th hole. He did not have the right club in his hands.” Not only Kaufman, but Eddie Pepperell also commented about Diamond’s equipment choice. He believed a fairway wood or a different club instead of a 7-iron would have helped the Irishman better on the 16th and 18th.

But what about Rory McIlroy himself? Does he believe he needs a new caddie?

Rory McIlroy isn’t changing his caddie

After parting ways with his former caddie JP Fitzgerald, Rory McIlroy appointed Diamond, who is also his school friend by the way, as his bag man. They have been together for more than seven years now. Even after all the drama after the US Open, the golfer defended his caddie as he witnessed the hate Diamond was receiving.

“You know, it’s certainly unfair,” McIlroy said. “Hank Haney has never been in that position. Smylie has been in that position once. 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. 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,” as revealed on the Golf.com website.

The golfer silenced all the hate. Now that they have also won two events this year the golfer is even more positive about his bag man. And, it certainly implies that the 4x major champion might not change his caddie any time soon.

Do you think he can win his fifth major title with Harry Diamond this year? Feel free to let us know in the comments below!