News
McIlroy, Acushnet will not renew equipment deal
It’s official — Rory McIlroy is a free agent.
The Acushnet Company, manufacturer of Titleist and FootJoy brands, announced that McIlroy endorsement contract with the company will not be extended, ending Dec. 31, 2012.
“Our goal has been to provide Rory with the best equipment and service that would help him be the best player he could possibly be,” said Wally Uihlein, Chief Executive Officer, Acushnet Company. “He has been a great ambassador for the Titleist and FootJoy brands, and in turn, we are proud of how our equipment has contributed to his success. We wish Rory all the best, both personally and professionally, going forward.”
McIlroy has used Titleist and FootJoy equipment since turning professional as an 18-year old in September 2007. He personally thanked Uihlein in an Acushnet press release, as well as all of the tour staff and employees at Titleist and Footjoy for “everything they have done for me since I turned professional.”
“I have enjoyed five very exciting and successful years with the company and I will always appreciate the contribution Titleist has made in helping me become the player I am today,” McIlroy said.
Talk has been strong on GolfWRX since early September that McIlroy would leave Titleist and join Nike. Click here for read the “Five reasons with McIlroy could join Nike.”
It is rumored that a deal between McIlroy and Nike could be worth as much as $250 million, although there is no news from Nike at this time. Click here to read why “Rory McIlroy isn’t worth $250 million, but he should take it.”
Click here for more discussion in the “Tour/pre-release equipment” forum.
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News
Tour Rundown: Rose blooms, Rory rolls
This week last year, I found myself praying to the weather goddesses and gods that Rochester would be spared their wrath over the next seven days. The 2023 Oak Hill PGA Championship (that was slated for August when the contract was signed) was on the horizon, and I wanted my region to show well. Things turned out fine, with all four seasons making an appearance, a PGA Professional (Blockie!) stealing hearts, and a proven champion in Koepka (although I was pulling for Viktor.)
This year, no concerns. Louisville will shine this week at Valhalla, but we’ve matters to consider before we look to four days of coverage this week. Nelly did not win on the LPGA this week, so who did? The PGA Tour held two events in the Carolinas, and Tour Champions celebrated a major event in Alabama. Four noteworthy events to run down, so let’s head to RunDownTown and take care of business.
LPGA @ Founders Cup: Rose blooms
There was a sense that Rose Zhang might have a role in the 2020s version of the LPGA. After winning everything there was in amateur golf, she came out and won her first tournament as a professional. That was last May and, let’s be honest, who among us thought it would take 12 months for Zhang to win again? Rhymes with hero, I know.
This week in New Jersey, eyes were on Nelly Korda, as she made a run at a sixth consecutive win on the LPGA circuit. Korda ran out of gas on Saturday, and that was just fine. Madelene Sagstrom and Zhang had turned the soiree at Upper Montclair into a battle of birdies. Gabriela Ruffels came third at nine-under par. No one else reached double digits under par but Sagstrom and Zhang. They didn’t just reach -10…they more than doubled it.
Sagstrom had the look of a winner with five holes left to play. She was three shots clear of Zhang, at 23-under par. The Swede played her closing quintet in plus-one, finishing at 22-deep, 13 shots ahead of Ruffels. That performance we’d anticipated from Zhang? It happened on Sunday. She closed with four birdies in five holes to snatch victory number two, by two shots. Spring is a lovely time for a Rose in bloom.
Take a look back at hole No. 1… @rosezhang is living life on the edge ? pic.twitter.com/o6z6SK7TRA
— LPGA (@LPGA) May 12, 2024
PGA Tour @ Wells Fargo: Rory the Fourth is crowned in Charlotte
Xander Schauffele is a likable lad. He has an Olympic gold medal on his shelf, and a few PGA Tour titles to his credit. Even X knows that even par won’t get much done in a final round unless conditions are brutal. They weren’t brutal at Quail Hollow on Sunday. X posted even par on day four. It kept him ahead of third-place finisher Byeong Hun An but gave him zero chance of challenging for the title.
Paired with Xander in round four was the King of Quail, Rory McIlroy. The Northern Irishman had previously won thrice at the North Carolina track, and he was champing at the bit to gain some momentum on the road to Louisville. While Xander scored increasingly worse along the week (64-67-70-71) McIlroy saved his best round for the final round. Thanks to five birdies and two eagles, McIlroy ran away with the event, winning his fourth Wells Fargo by five over Schauffele.
HOLE-OUT EAGLE FOR RORY!!!
He now leads by SIX! pic.twitter.com/UE49lwfwNC
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 12, 2024
PGA Tour @ Myrtle Beach Classic: a little CG won the inaugural week
It always seemed odd that the PGA Tour had zero stops along the Grand Strand each season. This week’s event seemed odd in that the golfers played the same course each day, and there were zero handicaps involved. Most events at Myrtle Beach involve hundreds of amateurs at dozens of courses, with all sorts of handicaps.
The Dunes Club is a Robert Trent Jones Sr. course, down toward Pawley’s Island. It claims what used to be considered an unreachable, par-five hole, the watery 13th. Nothing is unreachable any longer, including a 22-under par total for a six-shot win. Chris Gotterup, a former Rutgers and Oklahoma golfer, played sizzling golf all week and won by a sextet of shots. Gotterup opened with 66, then improved to 64 on Friday. His Saturday 65 sounded a beacon of “come get me,” and his closing 67 ensured that second place was the only thing up for grabs.
Chasing the podium’s second level were a bunch of young Americans. In the end, Alastair Docherty and Davis Thompson reached 16-deep, thanks to rounds of 64 and 68 on Sunday. They held off six golfers at 15-under par. The victory was Gotterup’s first on tour and should be enough to get him a Wikipedia page, among other plaudits.
Leader by SIX!
@ChrisGotterup | @MyrtleBeachC pic.twitter.com/TVdA6ZPYc4— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 12, 2024
PGA Tour Champions @ Regions Traditions: Vindication for Dougie
Doug Barron, if I recall correctly, was suspended by the Powers That Be, way back in 2009, for testosterone. He was naturally low in the hormone, so he took supplements. This did not sit well with certain admins, so he was put on the shelf for 18 months. Not cool.
In 2019, Barron came out on the Tour Champions. He won in August. The next year, despite the craziness of Covid, he won again. Barron hit a dry spell for a few years. He kept his card, but accrued no additional victories. In late April, Barron showed serious signs of life, with a t2 at Mitsubishi. This week in Birmingham, he jumped out to a lead, lost it, then gained it back on Saturday. With major championship glory on the line, Barron brought the train into the station with 68 on Sunday.
Stephen Alker, the man who could not lose just two years ago, gave serious chase with a closing 63. He moved up 11 slots, into solo 2nd on Sunday. He finished two shots back of the champion. Two shots ain’t much. Cough once and you drop a pair. Third place saw a three-way tie, including last year’s winner (Steve Stricker) and runner-up (Ernie Els.) Despite the intimidating presence of the game’s greats, however, Doug Barron had more than enough of everything this week, and he has a third Tour Champions title to show off.
At the @RegionsTrad, all champions receive a green bike.
Doug Barron decided to take a victory lap ? pic.twitter.com/bEzENMjZwv
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) May 13, 2024
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Equipment
Did Rory McIlroy inspire Shane Lowry’s putter switch?
Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
The timing of Lowry’s putter changeup was curious: Was he just using a Spider putter because he was paired with McIlroy, who’s been using a Spider Tour X head throughout 2024? Was Lowry just being festive because it’s the Zurich Classic, and he wanted to match his teammate? Did McIlroy let Lowry try his putter, and he liked it so much he actually switched into it?
Well, as it turns out, McIlroy’s only influence was inspiring Lowry to make more putts.
When asked if McIlroy had an influence on the putter switch, Lowry had this to say: “No, it’s actually a different putter than what he uses. Maybe there was more pressure there because I needed to hole some more putts if we wanted to win,” he said with a laugh.
To Lowry’s point, McIlroy plays the Tour X model, whereas Lowry switched into the Tour Z model, which has a sleeker shape in comparison, and the two sole weights of the club are more towards the face.
Lowry’s Spider Tour Z has a white True Path Alignment channel on the crown of his putter, which is reminiscent of Lowry’s former 2-ball designs, thus helping to provide a comfort factor despite the departure from his norm. Instead of a double-bend hosel, which Lowry used in his 2-ball putters, his new Spider Tour Z is designed with a short slant neck.
“I’ve been struggling on the greens, and I just needed something with a fresh look,” Lowry told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. “It has a different neck on it, as well, so it moves a bit differently, but it’s similar. It has a white line on the back of it [like my 2-ball], and it’s a mallet style. So it’s not too drastic of a change.
“I just picked it up on the putting green and I liked the look of it, so I was like, ‘Let’s give it a go.’”
Read the rest of the piece over at PGATour.com.
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Equipment
Spotted: Tommy Fleetwood’s TaylorMade Spider Tour X Prototype putter
Tommy Fleetwood has been attached to his Odyssey White Hot Pro #3 putter for years now. However, this week at the Wells Fargo Championship, we did spot him testing a new putter that is very different, yet somewhat similar, to his current gamer.
This new putter is a TaylorMade Spider Tour X head but with a brand new neck we haven’t seen on a Spider before. A flow neck is attached to the Spider head and gives the putter about a 1/2 shaft offset. This style neck will usually increase the toe hang of the putter and we can guess it gets the putter close to his White Hot Pro #3.
Another interesting design is that lack of TaylorMade’s True Path alignment on the top of the putter. Instead of the large white center stripe, Tommy’s Spider just has a very short white site line milled into it. As with his Odyssey, Tommy seems to be a fan of soft inserts and this Spider prototype looks to have the TPU Pure Roll insert with 45° grooves for immediate topspin and less hopping and skidding.
The sole is interesting as well in that the rear weights don’t look to be interchangeable and are recessed deep into the ports. This setup could be used to push the CG forward in the putter for a more blade-like feel during the stroke, like TaylorMade did with the Spider X Proto Scottie Scheffler tested out.
Tommy’s putter is finished off with an older Super Stroke Mid Slim 2.0 grip in blue and white. The Mid Slim was designed to fit in between the Ultra Slim 1.0 and the Slim 3.0 that was a popular grip on tour.
- Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
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Pingback: GolfWRX.com – McIlroy, Acushnet will not renew equipment deal | Golf Products Reviews
Sean
Nov 2, 2012 at 10:26 am
With Rory switching equipment companies there certainly will be a transition period, but with his talent it won’t be very long. All who are reading this love the game of golf and are well aware of Rory. But for those who don’t watch golf really don’t know who Rory is, but they certainly know who Tiger is. I am a golf professional and my wife barely knows who Rory is. If he ends up with Nike they will make him known by many more.
Danny
Oct 31, 2012 at 5:27 pm
I find it crazy that you are arguing with me. When is the last time you’ve seen a player that is paid by another OEM use a Nike product like guys do with balls, Scotty’s and vokeys all over. Heck, Phil uses a Titleist fairway wood as Callaway’s big dog. Fowler as Cobra’s ace still uses Vokey wedges and a Scotty putter.
Danny
Oct 31, 2012 at 5:18 pm
Nike makes garbage equipment. Take Tiger Woods out and you are left with Carl Pettersson, Molinari and a bunch of guys that only play in the John Deere Classic and other tournaments nobody cares about.
Nike markets to the weekend rec golfer, Titleist markets to the avid golfer.
Joseph
Oct 31, 2012 at 12:33 pm
I think it will be a good overall move for Rory. Nike likes to have top players and will pay them because they can. Tiger still places top 10 in events and STILL is the face of Nike and gold. However as in life people will eventually start to fade and a company will need the next face. Sooooo…. que Rory to step in towards the end of Tigers dominance and have Rory take over in the next few years. Tiger will still be around and Rory is young enough to help Nike pick up wins on the circuit. OH and that plastic putter they call the Method…… Stewart Sink wins the British Open with that Plastic putter and Charl Schwartzel winning the Masters….. Nuff Said!
obvioustroll
Oct 31, 2012 at 10:07 am
danny is a troll. Tiger is nr2 and second on money list with “thrash” equipment…
just ignore haters and move on.
roger
Oct 31, 2012 at 8:43 am
Danny
Give me a set of wilson staff blades, 8802 putter, callaway warbird driver and a top flite and I’ll show you its not the equipment.
As for your comment about Titleist selling more balls that Nike, no kidding…they are a bigger house hold name in that market. And you wonder why they dont offer player those huge contracts????they cant, they dont have the money to do so. Nike is a company that prints money, titleist isnt.
Your comment about ask stricker about asking stricker about the pro-v vs. the nike at the ryder cup, cant really give you a firm answer on who’s ball performed worse, they both played like garbage that tournament.
-Best regards
Facundo
Oct 31, 2012 at 8:39 am
Nike is like Apple, you pay only for the logo… I´m sorry Rory, your going on the wrong way.
Money is not everything in live……
Patrick
Oct 31, 2012 at 8:08 am
hahaha!! You have no clue of what you are talking about Danny. Nike compare is self to any other compagnie out there. McIlroy, if he is the next one, will win whit any clubs. At this level, guy’s d’ont leave a brand JUST for money. By the way Phil is sooooo good whit Calaway. You are probably a lefty!!!
Facundo
Oct 31, 2012 at 8:48 am
By the way, why Rory, Tiger and Phil they played Titleist in the beginning. They could have used Nike…
Jeff
Oct 31, 2012 at 4:14 am
A. Tiger is used to the Tour-D and wins with it….why change from that…..A bunch of Pros still use old versions of the Jesus ball (pro-v) cause they are used to it or feel the newer versions suck.
B. Stricker is trash anyways and shouldn’t of been picked. Didn’t matter what ball he was using…useless point u tried making there.
C. 2009 Awards for Tiger….with his inferior putter…nuff said
PGA Tour Player of the Year
PGA Player of the Year
PGA Tour Money Leader
Vardon Trophy
Byron Nelson Award
Mark H. McCormack Award
FedEx Cup winner
Golf Writers Association of America Player of the year
Adam
Oct 31, 2012 at 1:37 am
He should take the money, then never break the top 50 again like Michelle Wie.
Danny
Oct 30, 2012 at 10:39 pm
and finally, Tigers game has never been the same since Nike forced him to use that mini golf rubber putter of theirs. He picked that thing up at Toys R Us back in 08 and hasn’t made a putt since
Danny
Oct 30, 2012 at 10:37 pm
Classic example here: Titleist makes a product that speaks for itself. It’s tried and true and consistently sells because of it. nike needs to pay billions of dollars to get newbies to golf to buy their products because they are marketed better. It’s like saying McDonalds makes a better burger than Morton’s.
Ask Stricker how the Nike ball compared to the Pro-V in the Ryder Cup. Trash
Danny
Oct 30, 2012 at 10:34 pm
I’ve bagged 2 Nike drivers and hit enough of their balls to know trash. Phil was right when he said Tiger plays with inferior equipment. All Nike does is make you pay for the logo. There is a reason Tiger doesn’t even play a ball they sell. They can’t consistently make winning products like other brands.
Jeff
Oct 30, 2012 at 10:28 pm
Haters gonna hate. People just love to either hate Tiger or Nike. Most people haven’t even swung a Nike iron or wood etc but love to talk trash about them. I really don’t get it. And yeah Danny I’m sure his game will fail just like Tiger’s did when he went to Nike…..How many wins has he had since then? Your worthless comment pulls no weight.
jason
Oct 30, 2012 at 8:53 pm
sad to see him leave. i really like him on titleist. i hate nike and i was hoping for rory to stick with titleist
Danny
Oct 30, 2012 at 7:04 pm
Nike is trash. Once he goes to them his game will fail just like Tiger’s did.
El Guapo
Oct 30, 2012 at 6:47 pm
I certainly will not put a Nike club in my bag even if Rory shound win another 20 majors with those clubs – assuming he will join Nike. Bit sad to see him shift but it will be interesting to see how this will affect his game and if he can put his own initials on the clubs. Fair play to Titleist not wanting to compete with herendous $ deals.
memphisunited
Oct 30, 2012 at 10:29 am
Titleist has had a history of helping players achieve stardom (Tiger, Phil, Duval, Ernie, Rory, etc.) only for those players to jump ship for big money equipment deals. I applaud Titleist for having a brand strategy and sticking to it. However, you can’t fault those players for cashing in on their success.
Patrick
Oct 30, 2012 at 9:33 am
What next?? Rory and Tiger in a Nike commercial…..