Rory McIlroy told by Tour pro unemployed legendary caddie could help him in the majors

Eddie Pepperell says it's 'quite possibly true' Rory McIlroy would perform better in the major championships if he had Billy Foster on his bag. 

Foster is now available after he split with Matthew Fitzpatrick at the conclusion of the 2025 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.

The 2022 U.S. Open champion confirmed before the start of the campaign that Foster was going to work part-time and share looping duties with Dan Parratt. 

But according to Foster, the duo simply stopped enjoying working together and decided to part ways 'after a great run'.  

McIlroy won PGA Tour's flagship event on Monday after coming through in a tense playoff against American J.J. Spaun. 

The 35-year-old Northern Irishman will now be focusing solely on his latest attempt to complete the career grand slam at Augusta National. 

His caddie Harry Diamond has received intermittent criticism over the past decade, particularly concerning McIlroy's quest to secure another major. 

The topic of whether McIlroy should switch caddies was once again discussed in the most recent edition of The Chipping Forecast given Foster's availability. 

"Well, I was critical of him [Harry] last year at the U.S. Open," Pepperell told the podcast. 

"But I would say is that at Sawgrass, particularly in the playoff that we just witnessed, I thought Harry was fantastic. He got out of Rory's way. 

"Rory didn't take very long on the 17th tee. He knew what he needed to do. He was uncluttered.

"And if you compare that to J.J. Spaun who seemingly took an age over most of his shots during the playoff, I think, you know, I think you can actually really praise Harry and I should praise him in the interest of fairness on the way he performed in tough conditions that I think helped Rory get over the line at The Players Championship."

Pepperell added: "Look, that is not to say that if Rory was to have Billy Foster on his bag [that] Rory couldn't do better in the majors because I kind of think that that's possibly true. 

"But Rory is such his own man that it's difficult to know with him."

Pepperell said caddies are vital and can make a real difference 'at the margin'. 

"If you're really on top of your game and you have a world class caddie and I would argue to win majors those two things kind of need to be in place and generally are in place to see major victories and that was maybe where I was critical of Harry Diamond last year at Pinehurst if you recall back to the 15th, the par-3 there. 

"But look, let's let bygones be bygones."

Meanwhile, Tiger Woods' former caddie Steve Williams has offered his thoughts on the Diamond and McIlroy partnership. 

Williams told bunkered that the pressure will be weighing on Diamond just as much as the world number two. 

"He's caddying for one of the greatest players ever to have played the game and the only thing missing on his resume is a major.

"He'll be just as desperate as Rory is," he said.