After Hank Haney criticized Rory McIlroy and his caddie Harry Diamond at the US Open last month, the four-time major champion retaliated angrily.
When it came to reacting to the criticism he and his caddie Harry Diamond received from former Tiger Woods coach Hank Haney after the US Open, Rory McIlroy did not hold back.
At Pinehurst No. 2, McIlroy was unable to win his first major championship in ten years as he was defeated by Bryson DeChambeau by just one shot. With five holes remaining and leading by two shots, the Northern Irishman made three bogeys in four holes, giving DeChambeau the victory in the US Open.
McIlroy’s final round decisions were called into question for the most part, especially his choice of club on the 15th and 18th tees. On the fifteenth hole, a par three, McIlroy hit his tee shot far beyond the green, which resulted in his first of three bogeys.
The final one occurred when he was eighteen, after he had hit three-wood on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from the same tee box. He chose to hit driver on the last hole in round four, which encountered difficulty. In a costly move, Haney blamed McIlroy’s caddie Diamond, as the former Woods ally took to social media to voice his opinions.
“I can guarantee you that if Steve Williams had been Rory’s caddie, he would never have hit a perfect flighted 7 iron that rolled over the green on 15 into a terrible lie. Instead, he would have hit an 8 iron and sent it straight up in the air and held the green,” he tweeted at the time.
“Wrong club, wrong shot, bad plan,” Haney continued. For athletes who have won two or more major championships, they have won one in every three occasions that they were in real contention, which is defined as having the lead or being tied for the lead on Sunday. @McIlroyRory’s hard game made it far from certain that he would win the US Open.”
This week at the Scottish Open, McIlroy is making his comeback after a three-week hiatus. During his pre-tournament press conference, he had a message for Haney. “[Diamond’s criticism] is unjustified, for sure. Hank Haney told reporters on Wednesday, “I have never been in that situation before.
“In the end, they simply don’t exist. There they are, inside the arena. They are not the ones taking the shots or choosing what to do. I once heard someone say that if you didn’t accept these people’s advice, you wouldn’t accept their criticism either. Wouldn’t seek advice from Hank Haney, for sure.”
Though it did take some time for him to gain control after his harsh finish at Pinehurst No. 2, McIlroy is eager to move on and compete in the Open Championship and the Scottish Open. It was a difficult day, he acknowledged. “Obviously, the days that followed were difficult. However, I believe that as you get farther away from it happening, you begin to notice the advantages and all of the wonderful things you accomplished during the week.”
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