Rory McIlroy launched into an expletive-laden outburst at a fan during the final round of the Genesis Invitational after being heckled about his caddie Harry Diamond.
The Northern Irishman reacted furiously when a spectator suggested he should "blame" his caddie following a missed putt at Riviera Country Club.
The incident occurred during a frustrating weekend for McIlroy, who struggled with his putting throughout the tournament.
After missing a 10-foot putt on the third hole, a voice from the crowd shouted "blame your caddie" at McIlroy.
The four-time major champion immediately responded by telling the heckler to "shut the f*** up", according to golf insider Dan Rapaport.
Rory McIlroy was not happy with one fan at the Genesis Invitational
Reuters/PA
The exchange highlighted McIlroy's fierce loyalty to Diamond, who has been his caddie since 2017 and is also a childhood friend.
McIlroy's putting woes were evident throughout the weekend, as he posted a disappointing two-over 74 on Saturday.
The Northern Irishman finished the tournament tied for 17th place at 3-under, nine strokes behind winner Ludvig Aberg.
He ranked last in the field for shots gained putting during Saturday's third round, and third-to-last in the final round on Sunday.
The putting struggles marked a stark contrast to his previous outing, where he had claimed victory at Pebble Beach.
Diamond had previously faced criticism following McIlroy's narrow loss at the US Open to Bryson DeChambeau.
Tiger Woods' former coach Hank Haney had suggested McIlroy's club selection on the 15th hole cost him the tournament.
"If Steve Williams was Rory's caddie I can promise you he would have never hit a perfect flighted 7 iron that rolled over the green," Haney said.
McIlroy strongly defended Diamond, stating: "It's certainly unfair. Hank Haney has never been in that position."
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Rory McIlroy has fiercely defended his caddie Harry Diamond before
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Following his victory at the DP World Tour Championship in November 2024, McIlroy had passionately defended Diamond against critics.
"He gets his fair share of stick and it's not warranted," McIlroy declared after the triumph.
"He's an amazing caddie and the best friend I could ever ask for."
The Genesis Invitational incident demonstrated McIlroy's continued commitment to standing by his long-time caddie, despite ongoing criticism from some quarters of the golfing world.
