Rory McIlroy can only take so much, and it’s nothing to do with the pain of injuring his right wrist.

No, McIlroy and his ISM manager, ‘Chubby’ Chandler have had about as much as they can stand with the on-going debate that continues to surround McIlroy’s caddy.

J P Fitzgerald is again in the spotlight, and this time for allegedly not stepping forward to intervene in McIlroy playing what was a reckless shot from beside a tree root on the opening day of the PGA Championship in Atlanta.

Frank Nobilo, commentator with the Golf Channel revisted the third hole to reveal McIlroy had indeed removed a sizeable portion of the two-inch wide tree root in playing his second shot on Thursday.

Caddy J P Fitzgerald points the way for Rory McIlory while most are pointing the finger at Fitzgerald. (Photo - Fran Caffey/www.golffile.ie)

As a result of the shot, McIlroy spent the remainder of the round nursing an injured right wrist, and had it not been for the quick intervention of PGA physio, Cornell Driennes, the current World No. 4 could be easily winging his way home to Northern Ireland.

Instead, McIlroy will play all four rounds of the year’s ‘Last Chance for Glory’ thanks to the work of Driessen, and the staff at a local medical centre who answered McIlroy’s call late on Thursday to reopen the establishment and conduct an MRI of McIlroy’s wrist.

However the second round dawned with McIlroy’s caddy the subject of TV, radio talkback programs and news articles.

And McIlroy again went on the defensive immediately after his Atlanta Athletic Club second round.

“J P and myself definitely talked through it, and we talked about chipping it out,” said McIlroy.

“But then in hindsight it was probably the better option.  J P said to me, look, if you’re comfortable doing it, go ahead and if that’s the shot you see, just go ahead and do it.

“So looking back on it and how close the root was to the ball, it probably wasn’t the right decision. 

“But I felt at the time that if I could make impact, let go of the club, I could have got it up somewhere around the green and see the shot.”

Chandler was observed speaking to a handful of jounalists, and like McIlroy, Chandler’s tone seemed as though he’s had about enough.

Chandler even went as far to suggest the journalists in question were doing themselves no favours in McIlroy’s eyes with continued scutiny of Fitzgerald.

However it has to be remembered it is these same journalists who helped endear McIlroy to the masses.

Fitzgerald had been in the sights of former Tour player, come TV analysist, Jay Townsend during the opening round of the Irish Open when McIlroy found a bunker down the last on the first day on route to a double bogey.

McIlroy reacted angrily on ‘twitter’ by slamming Townsend’s remarks.

Earlier this year, 2012 European Ryder Cup captain, Jose Maria Olazabal spoke exclusively with www.golfbytourmiss.com at Atlanta Airport on Monday morning after McIlroy’s ‘Masters meltdown’.

Olazabal was very critical McIlroy was allowed to take driver particularly down the second, ninth and 10th holes when still well in contention for a first Major, and when his caddy should have known from past experiences the then 21-year old was riding so sky high on adrenalin.

However back to the PGA Championship, and McIlroy displayed his continuing frustration in having to deal with questions about ‘J P’ when he was further asked to comment on the growing widespread debate.

“J P’s my caddy, not my father,” said McIlroy shaking his head.

And as Chandler has often remarked: “When it comes to Rory and J P, Rory is always going to do his utmost in defending a person, who’s also a very close friend.”