From the pandemonium of his Masters win and Career Grand Slam to the frustration of the PGA Championship, Rory McIlroy has made yet another major equipment change.
The World No.2 has decided to have another go with the TaylorMade Qi35 driver amongst a golf bag revamp for the RBC Canadian Open this week.
He’s also added the Qi35 3-wood to his bag, but will also keep his Qi10 5-wood and include a P770 3-iron from the same brand.
Having trialled the setup at the Arnold Palmer Invitational earlier in the season, it lasted just three days before he made a U-turn, returning to his trusty TaylorMade Qi10 that has brought him victories at Augusta National as well as the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and Players Championship in 2025.
But when we all expected Rory to thrive at his playground, Quail Hollow, with the weight of a Career Grand Slam off his shoulders, it all went wrong…
His driver was deemed to be non-conforming and he trailed home in tied 47th at the PGA Championship.
An unexpected low in just his second event after the high of that famous Sunday in May.
What’s new?
We all know that McIlroy has been no stranger to TaylorMade’s 2025 Qi35 line, with the Northern Irishman being pictured practising with the equipment on both the range and course on numerous occasions.
There’s no suggestion that he hasn’t enjoyed the kit, but making the leap and permanently ditching his Qi10 products that he knows so well and have brought him such success is a big leap – it’s arguably a bigger change mentally than physically.
After the despair of the second Major of 2025 and some obvious behind-the-scenes problems with the legality of his Qi10 driver, it looks like it’s finally the correct to make the leap.
The TaylorMade Qi35 range is built for accuracy, with the model used by McIlroy featuring the same 9° of loft as in his previous driver; however, the 36-year-old will hope its slightly shorter length will bring him greater accuracy at the US Open at Oakmont next week.
He looks set to complete his first full event with the Qi35 driver and 3-wood at the RBC Canadian Open this weekend, where he will be desperate to find precision off the tee.
Will he finally stick with the TaylorMade Qi35 through the US Open at Oakmont?
If he finds the accuracy he’s been looking for, it would be inevitable that the new additions remain until the US Open at Oakmont Country Club next weekend, with a punishing 72 holes of golf expected.
He trialled the equipment at a practice round at Oakmont earlier in the week, and presumably it went well enough for him to carry the changes into the RBC Canadian Open.
Early signs have shown that the venue for the third Major of the season will feature thick rough to the extreme, with the winner predicted to finish over par.
Wayward tee shots will lead to a long weekend in Pennsylvania – McIlroy will be desperate for the equipment to play ball in Toronto over the next few days.
While the change on paper should improve his accuracy, it’s somewhat forced due to his long-term Qi10 driver being non-conforming, leading to a treacherous weekend with his back-up Qi10.
McIlroy has little choice but to adapt and overcome as we move nearer and nearer to the US Open.
READ MORE: The last eight Major golf tournaments won in over par – could the 2025 U.S. Open be next?
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