Rory McIlroy provided a candid and humorous take on his recent club switch during the Arnold Palmer Invitational, ultimately deciding to revert to his trusted setup after three rounds.
The four-time major champion initially introduced TaylorMade’s latest Qi35 driver and fairway woods into his bag, replacing his Qi10 models. However, after struggling with consistency off the tee, McIlroy opted to return to his previous setup for the final round.
“I tried new woods for the first three days, and it didn’t quite work out the way I wanted it to,” McIlroy admitted. “So yeah, I went back to my old stuff today.”
Despite leading the field in strokes gained off the tee during his win at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, McIlroy ranked 50th in that statistic at Bay Hill, finding just 24 of 56 fairways. Sarcastically, he quipped, “So it was a really good idea to change.”
After feeling unsettled throughout the tournament, McIlroy confirmed he won’t be making any more equipment changes before the 2025 Masters. He also plans to make at least one more trip to Augusta National in preparation for the year’s first major.
While McIlroy hasn’t finalized his schedule leading up to the Masters, he is committed to playing in The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass. The Valero Texas Open remains a possibility, but his focus is now on fine-tuning his game with familiar clubs in hand.
Reflecting on the equipment switch, McIlroy acknowledged the challenges of adapting to new technology. “There are pros and cons to it, and it’s a blessing and a curse with these 12-month club cycles,” he said. “It might look good on the range, but once you get out here in tournament conditions, that’s when you really see if it’s ready—and it just wasn’t quite there.”
With the Masters approaching, McIlroy is prioritizing comfort and confidence over experimentation as he continues his pursuit of a career Grand Slam.
