McGinley to part company with caddie Fitzgerald

THE partnership that clinched the Ryder Cup for Europe last September has broken up.

Paul McGinley, the hero of The Belfry, and his caddie JP Fitzgerald will be going their separate ways this year after enjoying five seasons together.

The parting will be amicable and a friendship that began back in the 1980s when Paul and JP were Leinster junior team-mates remains very much intact. Fitzgerald was a very accomplished player and reached the finals of the Irish Close Championship in 1987 when he lost to local Eddie Power at Tramore and to Gary Murphy at Portstewart in 1991.