'Tricky' problem facing Rory McIlroy at The Open highlighted
Rory McIlroy's caddie Harry Diamond faced criticism following last month's US Open, and Xander Schauffele has opened up on what it is like to have a friend on the bag
Xander Schauffele has admitted it can be 'tricky' balancing a friend and work relationship with a caddie, after Rory McIlroy's sidekick Harry Diamond was criticised following the US Open.
McIlroy missed out on last month's US Open title in heartbreaking fashion, losing by a single shot to Bryson DeChambeau. The 35-year-old had been two shots clear with five holes to play at Pinehurst No. 2, but a number of mistakes down the final stretch cost him dearly.
Two club choices in particular were questioned by many, after McIlroy sent his tee shot long at the par-three 15th to make bogey, before hitting his driver into trouble on the 18th for another bogey, despite taking three-wood off the final tee box on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
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The finger of blame was pointed towards McIlroy's caddie Diamond, with the likes of Hank Haney and Smylie Kaufman questioning the looper's decision not to raise issue with the Northern Irishman's club choice. McIlroy and Diamond have been close friends for some time, which saw the pair join forces permanently in 2017.
One man who knows exactly what it is like to have a friend on the bag is Schauffele, who is boss to his close pal Austin Kaiser. Ahead of this week's Open, the American opened up on what it is like to work with somebody you are so close to, admitting it is not always simple.
"I think most guys who have their friends as caddies, they at some point have to take one of the hats off. It's got to be a working relationship as well," he commented. "In terms of mistakes and things of that nature, it can be tricky, but open communication is the best way to solve those problems.
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Having someone you know so well out with you on the course does of course come with its perks, and Schauffele was quick to highlight this when addressing the media on Tuesday. "I'm lucky to have Austin," he claimed. "He's done a great job. I believe he's one of the hardest working caddies out here.
"I love when we don't have much information in a book because I know he's going to go out there and walk 25,000 steps to get all that info for me.... I need someone to talk to every once in a while. All that stuff that he has to do on the golf course, I expect him to do those things, and he does them.
"Then besides that, be a distraction when I need it. Since he's my friend, he can provide that more than a stranger could." On the back of the criticism of his caddie, McIlroy rose to the defence of Diamond at last week's Scottish Open, hitting back at their critics - Haney in particular.
“At the end of the day, they are not there. They aren’t in the arena. They are not the ones hitting the shots and making the decisions," he commented. “Someone said to me once, if you would never take advice from these people, you would never take their criticisms, either. I certainly wouldn’t go to Hank Haney for advice. I love Smylie, but I think I know what I’m doing, and so does Harry.”
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