Tour News

It’s Official: Rory McIlroy is with TaylorMade

Published

7 years ago

May 9, 2017

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.

Time to show the world what you’re really made of.

Welcome to the family, Rory. #TeamTaylorMade pic.twitter.com/akofFlZI1X

— TaylorMade Golf (@TaylorMadeGolf) May 9, 2017

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

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

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.

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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32 Comments

The Real Swanson

May 10, 2017 at 4:26 pm

Tosser.

Reply Report comment
King of Carlsbad

May 10, 2017 at 11:40 am

Can Rory still collect when TM goes bankrupt?

Reply Report comment
Teddy

May 9, 2017 at 9:02 pm

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

Reply Report comment
H

May 9, 2017 at 7:52 pm

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

Reply Report comment
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
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
Moses

May 9, 2017 at 5:36 pm

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

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Judge Smells

May 9, 2017 at 4:50 pm

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

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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
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
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
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).

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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
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
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
- Aaron
  
  May 9, 2017 at 4:06 pm
  
  my thoughts exactly……….
  
  Reply Report comment
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
- Ibo
  
  May 9, 2017 at 1:09 pm
  
  Don’t forget Tiger… xD
  
  Reply Report comment
chinchbugs

May 9, 2017 at 12:44 pm

Can Nike just buy TaylorMade already….

Reply Report comment
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
Tom1

May 9, 2017 at 12:25 pm

exciting times……

Reply Report comment
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
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
- ND Hickman
  
  May 9, 2017 at 12:18 pm
  
  According to the video on his Facebook page his whole bag is TM now.
  
  Reply Report comment
- The Real Swanson
  
  May 9, 2017 at 12:35 pm
  
  He’d love my cast Sam Snead blades and a pinnacle. You have no clue what his preference is, unless you have video evidence of him saying as much.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Mike
  
  May 9, 2017 at 12:37 pm
  
  RDRS Proto according to Rors homepage. There is also a photo of it.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Craig
    
    May 9, 2017 at 4:05 pm
    
    Isn’t it Rors proto??
    
    Reply Report comment
  - The Real Swanson
    
    May 10, 2017 at 3:52 pm
    
    You need some glasses.
    
    Reply Report comment
- Ibo
  
  May 9, 2017 at 1:08 pm
  
  https://www.instagram.com/p/BT4KZzMDTK4/?taken-by=rorymcilroy
  
  Reply Report comment

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