Rory McIlroy’s Caddie Plays a Part As DP World Tour Pays Tribute to Dementia Patients at $9M Event

Six-time major winner Rory McIlroy and his longtime friend and caddie, Harry Diamond, took part in an important cause at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. During the second round, the DP World Tour made a special change to the West Course after partnering with Sport United Against Dementia (SUAD) to support the Alzheimer’s Society’s pioneering awareness campaign. 

“Every 3 minutes, someone in the UK develops dementia. 1 in 3 people wait over a month to speak out about early symptoms,” DP World Tour wrote on X. “Today, on the 3rd hole, the name patch has been removed from one caddie in the marquee groups to highlight the fight against dementia with Sport United Against Dementia (SUAD), the @alzheimerssoc pioneering campaign.”

They also shared a video from the event showing McIlroy’s caddie walking past the camera on the par-4 third hole, with the Northern Irishman’s name removed from the caddie bib. Besides the bib, tournament organizers also removed the name of one player from a series of marquee three-ball groups from the walking scorecards for that hole, and all par and yardage information was blanked out from the third tee yardage board during morning and afternoon groups.

The change from Thursday’s opening round was designed to highlight the Alzheimer’s Society’s “one in three” statistics surrounding dementia. According to the campaign, one in three people born today will develop dementia, while one in three people living with dementia do not have a formal diagnosis. The figures also highlight delays in seeking help, with one in three people waiting more than a month before speaking out about early symptoms. Additionally, someone in the UK develops dementia approximately every three minutes. 

Dementia, of course, is a group of conditions that affect memory, thinking and communication, gradually making everyday tasks more difficult. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. Regardless, in addition to the second round of the $9 million purse event on Friday, DP World Tour chief executive Guy Kinnings is supporting the Alzheimer’s Society through a fundraising initiative ahead of World Alzheimer’s Day on September 21. 

Kinnings will walk 100 laps around the outfield at Lord’s Cricket Ground alongside 100 colleagues from the golf industry and media. They aim to raise funds for the charity. In any case, many golf legends have suffered from the disease as well. 

Golfers who suffered from dementia

Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease have affected several prominent figures in the golf world, including players and members of the sport’s media community. 20-time PGA Tour winner, Doug Sanders, famously known as the ‘Peacock of the Fairways’ for his colorful attire, died on April 12, 2020, at age 86. Although his death was initially described as resulting from natural causes, his former wife, Scotty Schilling, later confirmed that he died from complications of dementia.

Ben Hogan, one of golf’s all-time greats, suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. His health declined during his final years as he also battled colon cancer and failing eyesight. Hogan died in Fort Worth, Texas, on July 25, 1997, aged 84. Additionally, Ernie Gonzalez died on May 15, 2020, aged 59, after suffering complications from Alzheimer’s disease. And players aren’t the only ones on this tragic list. 

Tim Rosaforte, a renowned golf journalist and the first journalist to receive honorary PGA of America membership, also died after battling Alzheimer’s disease. He was 66.

That said, the DP World Tour has taken a meaningful step by partnering with SUAD to raise awareness about dementia. Rory McIlroy and his caddie, meanwhile, appear to have gladly lent their support to the cause. 

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