Report: Rory McIlroy, former caddie J.P. Fitzgerald haven’t spoken since 2017 breakup

Despite a very fruitful player-caddie relationship that lasted eight years, Rory McIlroy and former caddie J.P. Fitzgerald have reportedly not spoken since parting ways back in 2017.

This comes from a Daily Mail report, which broached the question after Fitzgerald looped for a victorious Victor Perez at the Dunhill Links Championship last weekend.

“At the end of the day, I went away to collect my thoughts and recharge my batteries,” Fitzgerald told the Daily Mail. “It was obvious that I needed the break. But I’ve learned from every player with whom I’ve worked, and Rory is no different to others like Ernie Els in that regard. I’m appreciative of the fact they’ve all helped me to get better as a caddie.”

At the time of their separation, McIlroy asserted that Fitzgerald was “one of [his] closest friends,” and that he still intended to keep a close relationship with Fitzgerald after the professional departure. McIlroy then named longtime friend Harry Diamond to the position, called it temporary and has kept him on the bag ever since. The partnership has produced a number of victories, but McIlroy has not resumed a relationship with Fitzgerald.

During their final event as a duo, McIlroy praised Fitzgerald’s ability to inspire him, but would later say that their relationship had gone through too many ups and downs recently, leading to the change. But Fitzgerald, it seems, has not taken the silence too much to heart.

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