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It’s Official: Rory McIlroy is with TaylorMade

Published

9 years ago

on

While Rory McIlroy didn’t specify exactly what he meant in his tweet at 11:02 a.m. Tuesday morning, “Final tweaks are made,” it was clear from the the presence of a custom TaylorMade Staff Bag in the photo that he had signed an endorsement contract with golf equipment manufacturer TaylorMade.

Minutes later, the official details from TaylorMade hit inboxes. Rory had signed a long-term contract with the company, and he would switch to a full bag of TaylorMade clubs, including a TaylorMade golf ball.

Earlier this year, it appeared that McIlroy was primed to signed an equipment contract with a different company. He was using Callaway’s new Epic metal woods and muscleback irons, as well as a custom Odyssey putter. There was also some Titleist equipment in his bag: the company’s new wedges and its Pro V1x golf ball. By Masters time, McIlroy had switched out his Callaway fairway woods for new TaylorMade models. 

McIlroy’s equipment saga was the result of Nike’s decision to exit the golf equipment business in August, which left the four-time major champion an “equipment free agent.” He said he would take his time — maybe as much as a year — to find the absolutely best equipment for his game. Nine months later, the search has ended with TaylorMade.

“My future rests firmly in my hands,” McIlroy said. “That’s why I choose TaylorMade. I’ve been around the game long enough and have tested most clubs on the market, but I have never been as excited about equipment as I am right now.” 

McIlroy’s TaylorMade Clubs

Rory_McIlroy_WITB_2017_Feat

  • 2017 M2 Driver (9.5 degrees)
  • 2017 M2 Tour Fairway (13.5 degrees)
  • 2017 M2 Tour Fairway (19 degrees)
  • P750 Tour Proto Irons (3-4),- “Rors Proto” Irons (5-9)
  • Milled Grind Wedges (48, 54, 60 degrees)
  • TP5x Golf Ball / #22

Related: See all the TaylorMade clubs McIlroy is using this week at The Players

TaylorMade’s press release about the signing of McIlroy is filled with the typical hyperbole, and rightfully so for a company that currently has equipment deals with the top-3 ranked golfers in the world (Dustin Johnson, McIlroy and Jason Day), but there’s also some interesting tidbits.

Screen Shot 2017-05-09 at 12.25.16 PM

For one, TaylorMade has designed a custom set of irons for McIroy called the “Rors Proto” that he will use as his 5-9 irons. And for those who think they can swing like McIlroy, TaylorMade passed along his launch monitor data with his new TaylorMade 2017 M2 driver.

246590-rorsnumbers-467282-large-1494277485-1

  • Ball Speed: 181 mph
  • Launch Angle: 12.3 degrees
  • Spin Rate: 2119 rpm
  • Average Carry Distance: 315.8 yards
  • Average Total Distance: 338.5 yards.

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33 Comments

33 Comments

  1. Pingback: Rors Proto: TaylorMade releases Rory McIlroy’s Grand Slam-winning irons – GolfWRX

  2. The Real Swanson

    May 10, 2017 at 4:26 pm

    Tosser.

    Reply Report comment

  3. King of Carlsbad

    May 10, 2017 at 11:40 am

    Can Rory still collect when TM goes bankrupt?

    Reply Report comment

  4. Teddy

    May 9, 2017 at 9:02 pm

    I guess the Epic driver wasn’t so “Epic” for Rory…

    Reply Report comment

  5. H

    May 9, 2017 at 7:52 pm

    Let the TM dominance-Titleist take down finally come to its conclusion!

    Reply Report comment

  6. Wenz

    May 9, 2017 at 7:36 pm

    Fairly sure his driver is 8.5 stamped with the actual loft being 8.25 as written in sharpie.

    Reply Report comment

  7. Tony Rich

    May 9, 2017 at 6:53 pm

    Sellout……while he is chasing the money everywhere he goes…guys like Willett, Stenson and a guy named Walker are winning majors. He dominated tournaments with his Titleist sticks. He has become a question mark since joining Nike and now this. Stats said he hit 20% of his fairways last year using Taylor Made low CG driver, doubt he will improve on that.

    Reply Report comment

  8. Moses

    May 9, 2017 at 5:36 pm

    I didn’t know Rory was a “6 time” major champion.

    Reply Report comment

  9. Judge Smells

    May 9, 2017 at 4:50 pm

    I heard Wilson was in there right until they discussed the compensation involved

    Reply Report comment

  10. Greg V

    May 9, 2017 at 4:13 pm

    Looks like he’s opening his left hand at the top of the swing, in the picture. Could be trouble, although Bobby Jones got away with it.

    Reply Report comment

  11. AndyUK

    May 9, 2017 at 4:12 pm

    Watched the live interview with him earlier today where he stated he was excited to play the TP5 ball as it was much more suited to his game and windy conditions compared to the Pro V. Said he spend 10 days of intensive testing. Kick in the teeth to Titleist, which is no bad thing.

    Reply Report comment

  12. Lewi

    May 9, 2017 at 3:44 pm

    Looks to me, he has sold out to the highest bidder, used callaway through choice and the brand has boomed, Taylormade had no choice but to buy him to try and reverse the trend.
    Rory said he was staying club free for at least a year, amazing how money talks and changes people’s minds. Money obviously means more to him than titles

    Reply Report comment

  13. golfraven

    May 9, 2017 at 3:38 pm

    You would think that Tiger and Rory now come as a pack of two. You cannot sign them up seperately. This is a big hit to Callaway and somehow the Epic line is loosing the charm since more and more players not hitting those drivers anymore. Wonder how much Tiger invested in TM and maybe Rory is joining to bail him out or both will take over TM. I guess Tiger will need to suck it up if Rory gets his signature clubs (irons and maybe wedges in the future).

    Reply Report comment

  14. Tourgrinder

    May 9, 2017 at 2:25 pm

    Can somebody with more TaylorMade insight than me please let me in on the secret as to why more pros seem to be gravitating toward the M2 rather than the M1. Even those with an M1 driver seem to choose M2 fairway models and hybrids. But…the M2 driver seems to be preference for pros such as DJ, Rahm, Rose, Tiger Woods, and now McIlroy, plus many, many others. I’ve probably overlooked a boatload of other pros using the M2 rather than the M1. I thought the M1 was the flagship model and the M2 was the game-improvement model, if you could call it that.

    Reply Report comment

    • SH

      May 9, 2017 at 2:40 pm

      We all want to find fairways and the M2 is a tad more forgiving for most. Besides, with all the hot melting, it’s not like these heads don’t have weight near the front

      Reply Report comment

  15. Ibo

    May 9, 2017 at 1:06 pm

    I’d be excited too while pocketing $10M a year on top of $20M more from Nike.

    Reply Report comment

    • Aaron

      May 9, 2017 at 6:49 pm

      This is technically inaccurate. Nike will supplement whatever Taylormade pays Rory to equal the amount they would have paid him (had he continued using their clubs). He’s technically making the same amount of money, just from two companies instead of one.

      Reply Report comment

      • Earl

        May 16, 2017 at 12:31 am

        Well THAT is technically incorrect. For every amount above what Nike are paying RM, they will take “a percentage” out of his pay. So he is earning more.. just not the full 10 mil more.

        Reply Report comment

  16. King of Carlsbad

    May 9, 2017 at 12:58 pm

    Hard to understand how TM has the budget for these signings. They are losing close to 9 digits a year and can’t find a buyer. Odd…

    Reply Report comment

  17. Chris

    May 9, 2017 at 12:48 pm

    Taylormade’s player staff bill must be huge now, Rory, DJ, Jason Day, Sergio, Justin Rose…….

    Reply Report comment

  18. chinchbugs

    May 9, 2017 at 12:44 pm

    Can Nike just buy TaylorMade already….

    Reply Report comment

  19. Philip

    May 9, 2017 at 12:37 pm

    Sure he is playing the best equipment for his game, and it has nothing to do with him selling himself to the highest bidder … there is always more swampland for sale :o)

    Reply Report comment

  20. Tom1

    May 9, 2017 at 12:25 pm

    exciting times……

    Reply Report comment

  21. Eric

    May 9, 2017 at 12:18 pm

    He is using TMAG Proto Blades (saw a pic on instagram). Who knows who made them. Probably Miura. Just kidding, I have no idea.

    Reply Report comment

  22. Soggy golfer

    May 9, 2017 at 12:13 pm

    I don’t see him playing TM irons maybe with the exception of the tour preferred blades. I feel like he has always played a firmer feeling iron and the TM P series is extremely soft. I know some really good players that tried them after a firmer feeling set (myself included) and it was counter productive.

    Reply Report comment

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