Tiger Woods' former coach, Hank Haney, believes McIlroy's decision to use a 7-iron off the tee at the 15th hole of the US Open was the fault of his caddie, Harry Diamond.
McIlroy was on course for his first major in 10 years at Pinehurst last Sunday but blew a two-shot lead with five holes to play, handing victory to Bryson DeChambeau.
The Northern Irishman's quest for a fifth major is one of the most widely talked-about subjects in golf, and last weekend's collapse will hurt more than ever.
McIlroy's search for another big golf title will continue, and so will the accusations that he doesn't have the fortitude to win the big prizes again.
Harry Diamond, McIlroy's longtime friend and caddie, has come under fire for his role in the collapse, with some suggesting that McIlroy should find another caddie.
Haney, who spent six years as Tiger Woods' coach in the 2000s and oversaw six major wins with him, offered his take on the decision to choose the 7-iron over the 8-iron. Haney explained that Woods would have never made such a big error in the same circumstances.
I will say this, if Steve Williams was Rory’s caddie I can promise you he would have never hit a perfect flighted 7 iron that rolled over the green on 15 into a terrible lie because he would have hit an 8 iron and sent it straight up in the air and held the green.
— Hank Haney (@HankHaney) June 18, 2024
"Rory has made a bad decision here. The bad decision is that he's kind of in between clubs—8-iron or 7-iron. He goes with a 7-iron," he said on his podcast.
"Tiger Woods would have never done that, ever. Rory McIlroy can send the ball straight up in the air, just like Tiger. When you've got brick-hard greens, you've got to send the ball up in the air; you've got to hit a high shot. You can't be coming with a punch shot, a flighted-down, less-than-full trajectory. There's no way that ball is going to stop on the green.
"It's a bad decision. When you get nervous, you make bad swings, and you make bad decisions."
Haney then went on to further say on his X account, "I will say this: if Steve Williams was Rory’s caddie, I can promise you he would have never hit a perfect-flight 7-iron that rolled over the green on 15 into a terrible lie because he would have hit an 8-iron and sent it straight up in the air and held the green."
McIlroy, who is taking time off, is expected to return when the Scottish Open comes around.
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