Rory McIlroy won his fifth major at the Masters on Sunday but barely spoke to caddie Harry Diamond despite being by his side throughout
Rory McIlroy has revealed he and caddie Harry Diamond didn’t speak much during his second Masters-winning round(Image: Andrew Redington, Getty Images)
Rory McIlroy’s caddie is his closest friend. He even refers to him as a brother. And when two people are so perfectly in tune with one another, words are often unnecessarywhich is precisely how it played out during McIlroy’s final round at the Masters on Sunday.
The 36-year-old secured another Green Jacket with a round of one-under, finishing 12-under overall and defeating nearest challenger Scottie Scheffler by a single shot. It wasn’t without its nervy moments, with a double bogey on four and a dropped shot on six.
However, a recovery birdie on seven and another on eight steadied the ship. Birdies on 12 and 13 followed, and that largely wrapped up the victory for McIlroy. Throughout it all, Harry Diamond was firmly by his side.
The duo go back a long way and he was there when McIlroy triumphed last year. When asked whether the pair spoke much during the final round, McIlroy revealed there was very little communication needed.
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“It wasn’t really – there wasn’t much to say,” he said, reflecting on the drive at the 18th tee before expanding on their bond more broadly. “I think we were both just hoping that my ball wasn’t in a really bad spot or behind a tree. I was just hoping that I had a swing.
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“No, it was pretty quiet out there. It was pretty tense. I was sort of talking about, okay, after the sixth hole, let’s try to get back to even-par for the day after nine.
“He was trying to encourage me, telling me there’s plenty of time left, just try to keep hitting fairways and greens. There wasn’t a ton of talk out there. I think we both knew what we needed to do. I just needed to step up and execute.”
It wasn’t only Diamond who got the near-silent treatment from McIlroy. Just like last year with Bryson DeChambeau, there was very little interaction with Cam Young, his final-round playing partner, as he once again showed a ruthless edge to his focus.
Discussing McIlroy’s concentrated behaviour, Young said: “I don’t think he really wanted to talk to me today. Sunday at the Masters in the final group, you know, don’t wish anything poorly on the guy, but we’re playing against each other. Not trying to be best friends out there.”
McIlroy became emotional when speaking about Diamond following last year’s victory. The caddie has faced criticism in the past and even had his suitability as a close friend in the role brought into question.
The past two years have emphatically shown he belongs right where he is. And it also illustrates the strength of the bond itself can often be more important than the prestige of the bag man.
“Yeah, I’ve known Harry since I was seven years old,” he said after the 2025 win at Augusta. “I met him on the putting green at Holywood Golf Club.
“We’ve had so many good times together. He’s been like a big brother to me the whole way through my life (tearing up).
“To be able to share this with him after all the close calls that we’ve had, all the c**p that he’s had to take from people that don’t know anything about the game, yeah, this one is just as much his as it is mine.
“He’s a massive part of what I do and I couldn’t think of anyone better to share it with than him.”
