Rory McIlroy Explains New 'Flexibility' With TaylorMade Deal After Using Titleist Wedges
The four-time Major winner says he ordered Titleist wedges after messing around with some of Justin Thomas' clubs
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Rory McIlroy has explained there is new flexibility in his equipment deal with TaylorMade after using Titleist wedges in his Dubai Desert Classic victory.
The World No.1 had a couple of Vokeys in the bag in Dubai after "messing around" with some of Justin Thomas' wedges at home, prompting him to put in an order for some of his own.
"Yeah, so this is my first year of my new deal with TaylorMade, and they gave me just a little bit of flexibility with some of the clubs that I can play," McIlroy explained ahead of this week's WM Phoenix Open.
"Yeah, so that was really it. I was messing around with Justin, I see Justin Thomas all the time at home and messing around with some of his wedges and some of the grinds he has. I got in touch and ordered a couple, and they've worked really nicely."
McIlroy has made more changes to his equipment this week, adding in TaylorMade 760 3-and-4-irons to get a little extra height for his approaches into the par-5s.
"This week, as well, I feel by going back to that 760 long iron in the 3- and the 4-iron, just to give me a bit more extra flight into the par-5s. I feel like sometimes with the 3- and the 4-iron in the blades they can come in a little flat at times, where the par-5 and the second shots into the par-5s specifically this week are very, very important, so I thought having a little bit more flight on those long irons could be helpful."
Prior to the Dubai Desert Classic, Rory McIlroy last used Titleist Vokey wedges out on tour in early 2017, when he was an equipment free agent following Nike's decision to stop making golf equipment. He went on to sign a 14-club and ball deal with TaylorMade in May that year ahead of the Players Championship. That deal was reported to be worth $100m.
The World No.1 comes into Phoenix in incredible form, having won two titles in his last three starts. Since his third FedEx Cup triumph in August, he has finished T2-4-T4-1-4-1.
Elliott Heath is our Senior Staff Writer and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news, features, courses and travel sections as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. Elliott has interviewed some huge names in the golf world including Sergio Garcia, Thomas Bjorn, Bernd Wiesberger and Scotty Cameron as well as a number of professionals on the DP World and PGA Tours. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as four Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays at West Byfleet Golf Club in Surrey, where his handicap index floats anywhere between 2-6. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!
Elliott is currently playing:
Driver: Titleist TSR4
3 wood: TaylorMade SIM2 Max
Hybrid: TaylorMade SIM Max
Irons: Mizuno MP5 4-PW
Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
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