Who is Rory McIlroy's caddie? All about Harry Diamond

Rory McIlroy's caddie is Harry Diamond.

Diamond met McIlroy at Holywood Golf Club in Northern Ireland when they were both nippers but it wasn't until 2017 that he assumed the key role within Ulsterman's team.

Before Diamond there was J.P. Fitzgerald, who was McIlroy's first looper and was given the job full-time a matter of months after the bushy-haired youngster turned professional.

Fitzgerald was on the bag as McIlroy claimed four major championships in his pomp but they split in somewhat acrimonious circumstances.

For his part, McIlroy denied there was a conflict and claimed they parted ways on good terms. He stressed he did not fire Fitzgerald.

But McIlroy did say at times he was 'getting way too hard' on Fitzgerald and later said the reason for the split was because he wanted to preserve their friendship.

Fitzgerald's swansong with McIlroy came at the 2017 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale where he finished in a tie for fourth, seven strokes behind the winner Jordan Spieth.

"I still consider J.P. one of my best friends, but sometimes to preserve a personal relationship, you might have to sacrifice a professional one and that was sort of the decision that I came to in the end. I felt like it was the right thing to do and I don't think there was any good time to do it." - Rory McIlroy in August 2017

Who is Rory McIlroy's caddie?

Accomplishments with Harry Diamond

McIlroy has achieved practically everything in the game with Harry Diamond carrying the sticks.

His critics will point out they are yet to win a major championship together.

The partnership has yielded three FedEx Cup titles (2016, 2019, 2022), three Race to Dubai titles (2022,2023,2024), multiple PGA Tour wins and Ryder Cup success stories.

Rory McIlroy is a fierce defender of Harry Diamond

McIlroy's continued inability to land a first major since the 2014 PGA Championship has led to frequent criticism of Diamond.

In McIlroy's view, he believes Diamond is an 'easy target' and has constantly defended his caddie.

"I wouldn't have him on the bag if I didn't think he was good at what he did," he previously told BBC Sport.

"He's grown into his role really well. I think our record speaks for itself. We've won a ton."

McIlroy also pointed to their close friendship as being particularly beneficial.

He is an only child and viewed Diamond as a 'big brother' growing up.

"We’re very close," he previously said.  

"I love having him on the bag. I’m a different person. And I’m never going to give him s--- even if something goes wrong. It would not be worth it."

After McIlroy won his sixth Race to Dubai in 2024, he wanted to silence the criticism Diamond had been receiving over the course of the year.

McIlroy said: “I want to give a shout to Harry, he’s been with me every step of the way for the last seven years now.

“He gets his fair share of stick and it’s not warranted - Harry is an amazing caddie and the best friend I could ever ask for.” 

Harry Diamond isn't afraid to speak his mind

In May 2021, McIlroy claimed the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow.

At the time, it was his first PGA Tour victory since November 2019.

He likely wouldn't have won the tournament had Diamond not stepped in on the 72nd hole and implored McIlroy to take a penalty drop instead of taking a tricky shot on.

In the immediate aftermath of victory, McIlroy saluted Diamond by saying: "Harry was awesome out there especially that decision on the last.

"I was ready to get in there and try to play that with a lob wedge and he was sort of like, 'Let's take a step back, let's think about this, where's the best place you're hitting your third from.'"

Is Harry Diamond good at golf?

Diamond is a good golfer in his own right, but he is not a professional player.

He played golf at a high level as a junior and was a member of the same golf club as McIlroy growing up.

However, he ultimately decided not to pursue a career as a professional golfer and instead became a full-time caddie for McIlroy.

What does Harry Diamond do?

As a caddie, Diamond's job is to provide support and advice to McIlroy during tournaments, helping him to make strategic decisions.

He provides yardages, wind direction, offers club selection choices and helps read putts.

How much does Rory McIlroy pay Harry Diamond?

Diamond likely earns a substantial amount of money working for McIlroy.

Typically, PGA Tour caddies earn a base salary of approximately $2,000 per week, with additional earnings coming from a percentage of a player's winnings any given week.

Usually, players tip their caddies 10 per cent for a win and seven per cent for top-10 finishes.

If a player finishes outside the top-10, then a tip of five per cent is usually awarded.

McIlroy's best season on the PGA Tour to date came in the 2021-2022 season, where he scooped total of $26.7m in prize money.

That included an $18m bonus for claiming the FedEx Cup title.

Did you know?

Harry Diamond was Rory McIlroy's best man when he wed Erica Stoll in a lavish wedding in Country Meath, Northern Ireland in 2017.

McIlroy filed for divorce from Erica after seven years of marriage on the eve of the 2024 PGA Championship.

In court documents, McIlroy stated their marriage had become 'irretrievably broken'.

However, just before the US Open, McIlroy called off the divorce from Erica and stated: “Their best future was as a family together.”

A few days later, he suffered an agonising defeat at Pinehurst No. 2 when he collapsed over the last five holes, losing out to LIV Golf’s Bryson DeChambeau.