Wrong Club, Wrong Shot’: Tiger’s Ex-Coach Blames Caddie For Rory McIlroy’s US Open Woe

The examination of Rory McIlroy’s disappointing final round at the US Open is still ongoing and will likely continue until next month’s Open Championship.

After nearly a decade of waiting for his elusive fifth major, McIlroy seemed poised to finally end his drought on Sunday evening. The Northern Irishman was two shots ahead of Bryson DeChambeau with only a few holes left in his final round.

However, things quickly fell apart for the 35-year-old. McIlroy bogeyed three of the last four holes, missing two crucial putts within five feet, and ultimately finished one shot behind his American rival.

For neutral spectators, it was one of the most gripping conclusions to a major in recent memory. For McIlroy’s fans, it was a devastating and almost unimaginable end.

The 15th hole has been identified as the turning point for McIlroy. A surprising decision to use a 7 iron resulted in the ball skipping over the green, leaving him scrambling to make par, which he ultimately missed.

In the days following the tournament, McIlroy’s caddie, Harry Diamond, has faced scrutiny for his guidance. Another criticized decision involved opting for a driver on the 18th hole, which has also been questioned.

Hank Haney, Tiger Woods’ former coach, added his voice to the critique of McIlroy’s shot choices. The 68-year-old commented on his podcast about the moment McIlroy’s round started to unravel.

Haney, who coached Woods for six years and oversaw six of his major wins, analyzed McIlroy’s decision to use a 7 iron on the 15th. Haney noted that it was a choice Tiger would “never” have made, suggesting it was a sign of McIlroy’s nerves as he tried to finish his round.

“Rory made a poor decision here. He was between clubs – an 8 iron or a 7 iron – and chose the 7 iron. Tiger Woods would have never done that, ever. Rory McIlroy can hit the ball straight up in the air, just like Tiger. With brick-hard greens, you need to send the ball high. You can’t use a punch shot with less-than-full trajectory; the ball won’t stop on the green. It’s a bad decision. When you’re nervous, you make bad swings and poor choices.”

Haney reiterated his point on Twitter, suggesting that some responsibility lay with McIlroy’s caddie, Diamond, for not stepping in on the 15th tee. He referenced Woods’ former caddie, Steve Williams, saying he could “promise” Williams would never have allowed Woods to make such a mistake.

Nick Faldo noted that McIlroy’s missed putts on the 16th and 18th holes would “haunt” him for the rest of his life. However, upon reflection, it’s clear that the 15th hole at Pinehurst was where the round started to fall apart for McIlroy.