Caddie acted in ‘good faith’ over Rory McIlroy drop

The caddie who highlighted Rory McIlroy’s crucial rules infringement in the third round of the HSBC Golf Championship in Abu Dhabi left a note on the Northern Irishman’s locker on Sunday morning to explain the “good faith” of his actions.

Dave Renwick was caddying for one of McIlroy’s playing partners, Ricardo González, when he spotted an infringement on the second hole on Saturday. McIlroy had taken a drop from a spectator walkway but had one foot still standing on that area when he played his next shot; which is not permitted under the rules of golf.

Renwick waited until after his group had putted out on the 18th before informing McIlroy of his concerns, so as not to disrupt the two-time Major winner’s round. After a review with the tournament referee, John Paramor, a furious McIlroy was penalised two strokes and a third round 68 turned into a 70.

“I couldn’t have gone to sleep knowing that I hadn’t said anything,” Renwick said. “I put a letter, a nice short one, on his locker saying that I’m sure he would appreciate what I did was in good faith.”

McIlroy did, however, sympathise with the caddie’s position. The 24-year-old said: “You have to adhere to the rules of this game and he was pointing out something he thought was questionable. He was just doing what I guess anyone would.”

McIlroy was subsequently beaten to his first event of the year by a single shot, with Pablo Larrazábal the winner.

“It was pleasing to hear that Rory had said there was no animosity as we’ve all got to adhere to the rules out here, after all,” the Scottish caddie added.

Renwick is one of the most experienced caddies on tour. He has previously worked for Steve Elkington, José María Olazábal and Vijay Singh at the time of Major championship wins.

Renwick added: “If I hadn’t said anything and Rory had won the tournament by a shot, that wouldn’t have been right and I couldn’t have lived with myself. I feel I did the right thing and if I could have stopped him before he hit the shot I would have. But I was fully 40 yards away at the time.

“We’d just played our third shot and Rory was over the ball. I was looking over and thought: ‘I’m sure his foot is inside the white line.’ I said to Ricardo as we walked to the next tee: ‘I’m sure he was standing on the walkway, not by much but enough.’”

Renwick’s actions have been criticised by a caddie in the United States. Brian Smith, himself a highly experienced bag man, said he would have adopted a different stance.

“If I saw him do something wrong, I would have said it immediately, or at least told my player,” Smith said. “I try to stay out of all that stuff. Let the officials deal with that. Let the players deal with that.

"I wouldn't say it was right for Dave to say it when he said it. I would have no problem with him saying it at that moment or bringing it to their attention, at least."
Guardian Service