EUAN McLEAN

SURPRISED but not shocked is the gist of golf’s reaction to reports of Rory McIlroy’s decision to dump caddie JP Fitzgerald after nine years.

Eyebrows were inevitably raised at the timing, just over a week before the last Major this season.

Even more so considering that just two weeks ago at The Open, McIlroy was singing JP’s praises for his blunt but effective talking-to that prompted a gutsy comeback.

You don’t expect to get such a public pat on the back then slapped with your P45 a fortnight later.

Yet the split – which McIlroy is expected to confirm today – will not be earth-shattering to many within the caddie shacks on Tour.

This is a sport where the first man to carry the can for a run of indifferent form is usually either the caddie or the coach.

In the wake of Rory’s Masters meltdown in 2011 many critics trained their sights on his caddie.

Seemingly, JP should have advised him better and his failure SCOTLAND’S NO.1 GOLF COLUMN to find the right words after that triple bogey on the 10th rendered him unfit for such a big job.

But McIlroy remained fiercely loyal to his bagman, saying: “He has taken me from 200 in the world to Major champion.”

In July that year he embroiled himself in an astonishing Twitter exchange with former pro and TV analyst Jay Townsend, who had criticised his “shocking course management” and blamed JP for allowing his young charge to do it.

McIlroy blasted back, telling him to “shut up” and continued “you’re a commentator and a failed golfer, your opinion means nothing.”

In fairness Fitzgerald need only point to his client’s CV to answer the critics – four Majors, 13 wins each on the PGA and European Tours and a rise to world No.1.

Throw in his background working with Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley and the Irishman has plenty to look back on with pride when his looping days are over. With earnings estimated to be more than £8m during his time on Rory’s bag, he could quite comfortably stop right now.

But despite McIlroy’s success and the credit he gave Fitzgerald for turning around his first round at The Open, there was another moment at Birkdale which may have proved the catalyst for a split.

One of the stories of the week was the world No.4’s description of the moment JP stopped him on the sixth tee, having dropped four shots in five holes.

“He said to me, ‘You’re Rory McIlroy, what the **** are you doing?’ At that point, I mumbled and replied, ‘Yeah, whatever.’ But it helped. He reminded me who I was, what I was capable of.”

But fast forward to the Saturday when the wrong club selection on the 10th tee stopped Rory’s charge with a double bogey.

It is in such pivotal moments that caddies live and die.

Ultimately, McIlroy fell just a little short of really putting himself in the mix over the weekend.

That’s not good enough for a guy of McIlroy’s standards so it should come as little surprise that he is willing to make major changes.

Who he chooses to stand by his side now could prove crucial.

Jim ‘Bones’ McKay is available after his split with Phil Mickelson but Steve Williams, Tiger Woods’ ex-caddie and a loudmouth, would probably be considered too toxic.

Scotland’s Craig Connelly has all the credentials but has a strong relationship with Martin Kaymer. Poaching a Ryder Cup team-mate’s caddie could also be frowned upon. Same goes for Lee Westwood’s experienced bagman Billy Foster.

So it’s worth noting that Jon Smart – the man who helped Danny Willett win the Masters – is still out of work.