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Diamond favourite to take over McIlroy bag duties

Friend tops betting for vacant position

Rory McIlroy has parted company with JP Fitzgerald (left)
Rory McIlroy has parted company with JP Fitzgerald (left)Credit: Getty Images

The final Major of the season, the USPGA Championship, starts a week on Thursday, but Rory McIlroy has made a surprise caddie switch, the former world number one ending his long relationship with JP Fitzgerald.

McIlroy will have a new caddie in place for round one of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on Thursday, with his friend Harry Diamond chalked up as 8-13 favourite by Paddy Power in their 'next permanent caddie' market. Temporary appointments do not count.

Billy Foster, the caddie of Lee Westwood, is second in the betting at 9-4, while Jim Mackay, who recently parted company with Phil Mickelson, is 9-2. The inactive caddie of Tiger Woods, Joe LaCava, is a 7-1 chance.

McIlroy and Fitzgerald were in alliance for almost a decade, winning four Majors together. A great chance for a fifth McIlroy Major is coming in the USPGA at Quail Hollow, where he has won twice before, and he remains 7-1 favourite despite this news.

Both the main tournaments this week are Stateside – the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Ohio and the Barracuda Championship in Nevada. McIlroy, who won the Bridgestone in 2014, is 10-1 third-favourite behind Open champion Jordan Spieth and world number one Dustin Johnson with bet365.

Power – Next permanent R McIlroy caddie: 8-13 H Diamond, 9-4 B Foster, 9-2 J Mackay, 7 J LaCava, 10 M Doran, 14 S Williams, 16 G Lord, C Byrne, R Elliott, T Scott, 20 M Cowan, 40 bar.

Bet365 – Bridgestone Invitational (starts Thursday, Firestone CC, Akron, Ohio): 8 J Spieth, 9 D Johnson, 10 R McIlroy, 16 B Koepka, 18 R Fowler, H Matsuyama, 22 J Rahm, 25 J Rose, J Day, H Stenson, 30 M Kuchar, A Scott, 33 S Garcia, 35 P Casey, 40 bar.

Bet365 – Barracuda Championship (starts Thursday, Montreux CC, Nevada): 22 B Martin, 25 R Garrigus, S Stallings, G DeLaet, 28 S Kaufman, C Hadley, D Summerhays, 30 bar.

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