After nine-year run, Rory McIlroy fires caddie J.P. Fitzgerald

After winning four major championships together and soaring to No. 1 in the world, Rory McIlroy has decided to split with his caddie of nine years, J.P. Fitzgerald, according to a report from Reuters.

The news came Monday morning, a little more than a week after McIlroy tied for fourth in the Open Championship. It was there in the first round at Royal Birkdale, where McIlroy praised Fitzgerald for a timely pep talk after a rocky start to the season's third major.

McIlroy has not commented on the split yet, but is expected to have a new caddie on the bag this week at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

Next week, of course, is the PGA Championship -- the season's final major. It's a curious decision by McIlroy to drop Fitzgerald now, seeing as the PGA venue is Quail Hollow, a place where the Northern Irishman has six top-10 finishes in seven starts at the Wells Fargo Championship, including two victories.

Phil Mickelson mutually parted ways with Jim "Bones" Mackay last month. That pair was together for 25 years.

McIlroy will now head to Quail Hollow looking for his first major since the 2014 PGA Championship with a new bagman.