Rory McIlroy shows his true character with emotional defence of 'best friend'

Rory McIlroy could not conceal his emotions aft winning the DP World Tour Championship and Race To Dubai connected Sunday, paying homage to his maligned caddie Harry Diamond

Rory McIlroy paid a touching tribute to his often-maligned caddie, Harry Diamond, aft winning the DP World Tour Championship and Race To Dubai treble connected Sunday.

McIlroy claimed his sixth bid of merit crown, going level with the large Seve Ballesteros connected an affectional time astatine the Earth Course. In a tense last round, helium had the borderline implicit rising prima Rasmus Hojgaard, winning by 2 shots acknowledgment to the benignant of clutch decorativeness that eluded the Ulsterman successful his US Open, Irish Open and BMW PGA Championship adjacent misses earlier successful the year.

Throughout that run, Diamond has faced disapproval for McIlroy's shortcomings successful the biggest moments. But McIlroy showed he has his friend's back connected Sunday with a connection of enactment arsenic helium was presented with his Tour Championship and Race To Dubai trophies.

"He gets his just stock of instrumentality and it's not warranted. He's an astonishing caddie and the champion person I could ever inquire for," an affectional McIlroy told the assemblage arsenic helium stood connected the 18th green.

Tiger Woods' erstwhile manager Hank Haney and erstwhile PGA Tour subordinate Smylie Kauffman – a salient pundit for Golf Channel – were among the astir salient critics successful the aftermath of McIlroy's illness astatine the US Open, which prolonged a 10-year hold for his 5th large title.

The 35-year-old held a two-shot pb implicit Bryson DeChambeau down the agelong astatine Pinehurst No. 2 successful June, but helium blew his vantage with a bid of blunders disconnected the tee and connected the greens. Diamond became an casual target

Haney said: "If [Woods' erstwhile looper] Steve Williams was Rory’s caddie I tin committedness you helium would person ne'er deed a cleanable flighted 7 robust that rolled implicit the greenish connected 15 into a unspeakable prevarication due to the fact that helium would person deed an 8 robust and sent it consecutive up successful the aerial and held the green. Wrong club, incorrect shot, atrocious plan."

Kauffman expressed a akin view, and McIlroy responded bluntly to the disapproval of his friend. “It’s surely unfair,” helium said astatine the time. “Hank Haney has ne'er been successful that position. Smylie has been successful that presumption once. Just due to the fact that Harry is not arsenic vocal oregon large with his words arsenic different caddies, it doesn’t mean that helium doesn’t accidental thing and that helium doesn’t bash anything.

“Someone said to maine erstwhile if you would ne'er instrumentality proposal from these people, you would ne'er instrumentality their criticisms, either. Certainly wouldn’t spell to Hank Haney for advice. I emotion Smylie, but I deliberation I cognize what I’m doing, and truthful does Harry.”

McIlroy's religion successful his caddie has been vindicated. He held his nervus and made astute decisions implicit the closing holes successful Dubai to assertion his 4th triumph of the season. And with his play plaything looking successful good signifier aft a caller break, McIlroy volition beryllium fancying his chances of yet getting his hands connected a 5th large successful 2025.