Rory McIlroy has no plans to change caddie or coach

Defending champion Rory McIlroy has no plans to change his caddie or coach and feels his best is yet to come as he seeks the “spark” missing from his game at The Players Championship.

McIlroy admitted he was somewhat dejected after a final round of 76 in the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Sunday and spoke about “maybe looking to go in a different direction”.

However, that does not look set to prompt the four-time major winner into switching from caddie Harry Diamond or long-time coach Michael Bannon.

“I certainly didn’t mean like a change of personnel per se,” McIlroy told a pre-tournament press conference. “I think more a change in philosophy or maybe what I’m trying to work on, maybe going in a slightly different direction.

“Swing-wise I think there’s some things that I’m working on that haven’t quite bedded in or I’m struggling to grasp what I’m trying to do, so that’s sort of what I meant, talking about going in a different direction.”

Asked if his comments on Sunday were a knee-jerk reaction to seeing another chance for a first win since November 2019 disappear, McIlroy added: “I think it was just me walking off the course not having my best day and I guess sort of venting a little bit to whoever was there at the time.

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“I did feel dejected. I felt disappointed. It’s funny, I’d almost feel better if my game was worse, but it’s the inconsistency of I shot 66 on Thursday and thought, I’ve got it, I feel really good, and then I didn’t quite have it. The ups and downs are just a little too much