Roundup: Rory Sacks J.P. Fitzgerald, Turning To Best Mate As Next Bagman?

Reuters' Andrew Both broke the news that Rory McIlroy was dumping his longtime luggage handler and sidekick of nine years, J.P. Fitzgerald.

As Derek Lawrenson notes in the Daily Mail, the sacking comes "just 11 days after crediting Fitzgerald with transforming his fortunes at The Open."

Coming on the eve of the WGC Bridgestone and a PGA Championship at a course where McIlroy won two Wells Fargo Championships with Fitzgerald, the news is surprising. Add in a year where McIlroy switched clubs mid-season to help finalize Taylor Made's sale, the timing is even more amazin

Oh, and let's not forget that Fitzgerald was credited with a pep talk that ignited a strong finish at The Open by...Rory McIlroy.  

James Corrigan in the Telegraph says the switch may have been prompted by a tenth hole strategic blunder at Birkdale, though of all the holes in golf to blame a caddie for mishandling, that would not have made my list.

However, two days later, McIlroy’s charge for a second Claret Jug was derailed when he took a double bogey on the 10th, courtesy of the wrong club selection off the tee. Again, the spotlight picked out Fitzgerald.

In the caddyshack, the development was not greeted with too much surprise. And do not expect an overload of sympathy either, and not just because Fitzgerald is estimated to have earned more than £8m in his employment with McIlroy.

“It was coming,” one caddie told Telegraph Sport. Fitzgerald’s meticulousness has been called into question by his peers, some of who believe the mistake at Birkdale was merely the latest error.

The British press has long blamed Fitzgerald for McIlroy's strategic blunders. But going off of McIlroy's handling of his equipment deals this year, especially the recent putter demo day debacle, it's hard to see how the caddie is to blame for bad decision-making when the client is very much his own captain.

According to Corrigan, McIlroy appears set on turning to wedding best man and entourage chairman and three-time winner of the best pen name award, Harry Diamond.

Diamond could even prove the permanent solution. A childhood friend who grew up in the same Belfast suburb of Holywood, Diamond is a fine player in his own right, having played with McIlroy in the Ulster youth team and going on to represent the Irish senior team.

And he has caddied for McIlroy before. When the then 16-year-old prodigy was invited to play in the Irish Open in 2005, it was Diamond who was on his bag. The pair are extremely close, with Diamond reportedly acting as best man at McIlroy’s wedding to Erica Stoll in April.

Brian Keogh at the Irish Golf Desk talks to Paul McGinley. The former Ryder Cup captain used to employ Fitzgerald and was surprised. Among his interesting comments:

“I don’t want to be critical of him and I haven’t spoken to him but going into the last major of the year, I’d agree that it’s surprising timing.

“I'm surprised that he’s made that decision going to a golf course where he has won twice with JP on the bag.

“Who knows what the reasons were.”