Rory McIlroy gave an emotional tribute to his caddie Harry Diamond after the duo worked together to end the Northern Irishman’s long wait to finally win the Masters.
McIlroy posted a one-over round of 73 on Sunday to force a play-off with Justin Rose after both men finished at 11-under for the tournament before the 35-year-old birdied the 18th to win the green jacket for the first time.
Diamond, a childhood friend of McIlroy’s, has been his caddie since 2017 when he replaced JP Fitzgerald and has previously faced criticism for being too quiet.
Following his victory, an emotional McIlroy admitted that this win was ‘just as much his and it is mine’ when explaining the influence Diamond has had since becoming his on course partner.
“I’ve known Harry since I was seven years old,” McIlroy revealed whilst holding back tears in his post-round press conference.
He added: "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.
"To be able to share this with him after all the close calls that we've had, all the [nonsense] 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.”
McIlroy then described how Diamond managed to settle his nerves ahead of the critical play-off and helped him refocus before taking on Rose in the sudden death shootout.
"Harry and I were walking to the golf cart to bring us back to the 18th tee, and he said to me, 'Well pal, we would have taken this on Monday morning,'" said McIlroy.
"I'm like, 'Yeah, absolutely we would have.' That was an easy reset. I just kept telling myself, just make the same swing you made in regulation. I hit a great drive up there, and the rest is history."
