Equipment
Rory McIlroy spotted testing a new TaylorMade “PROTO” 4-iron at the 2024 Valero Texas Open
![](https://www.golfwrx.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TaylorMadeRoryProto4iron.jpg)
Update, 5:30 p.m.: Regarding his prototype iron, McIlroy offered this in his pre-tournament press conference:
“Yeah, I went out, spent a couple of days with the TaylorMade guys at the Kingdom. Yeah, they just produced these couple of proto, I guess like are they the MC replacements maybe…
“They performed really well. It’s just as fast as the 760 that I was using. Launch is a little higher actually, which was surprising, and it’s just sometimes I felt like when I hit my 5-iron in the blade and then the 4-iron in the 760 it was such a different feel. To go from a 5-iron now to that 4-iron, it feels a little closer to what I feel in the 5-iron. So just a little bit more responsive, but didn’t lose any performance from it, which is great. Yeah, it will be in the bag this week.”
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Now just what do we have here?
On Wednesday at the 2024 Valero Texas Open, GolfWRX.com spotted Rory McIlroy testing a new, mysterious TaylorMade “PROTO” 4-iron.
Clearly, the 4-iron is a prototype, but since it doesn’t say “Rors Proto” or “RM” on it, then maybe it’s a prototype for an upcoming iron release from TaylorMade. Or, maybe it’s an upgrade for a previous or existing iron model from the company.
For reference, the photo below shows what McIlroy’s previous P760 4-iron looks like…
If the new prototype was an upgrade on the former P760 design, that would certainly be a large design departure, aesthetically speaking. It’s not impossible, but the new proto definitely looks significantly different.
McIlroy’s new proto – aesthetically, at least – looks more similar to TaylorMade’s P7MC irons, a model that Collin Morikawa uses for his 5 and 6-irons, as pictured below.
The new proto is also reminiscent of TaylorMade’s old P750 and P770 irons:
So what could McIlroy’s new TaylorMade “Proto” be? Is it a one-off prototype for McIlroy? Is it a re-design of an older model? Is it a harbinger of a bigger release in the future?
What is it?!
Unfortunately, TaylorMade hasn’t yet commented publicly on the prototype iron, so for now, we wait. And enjoy the photos of McIlroy testing it on Wednesday in San Antonio.
Here’s what it looks like from address…
And here’s what McIlroy’s numbers looked like while testing it on the range…
Uhh, yeah. Those are pretty good 4-iron numbers.
Will McIlroy make the switch into the new prototype 4-iron this week? That remains to be seen, but it should be noted that it was the only 4-iron in his bag on Wednesday.
*We’ll update this post as further information becomes available
See what GolfWRX members are saying about the TaylorMade “Proto” 4-iron here, plus more photos!
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Whats in the Bag
Cameron Young WITB 2024 (July)
![](https://www.golfwrx.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screen-Shot-2024-03-25-at-1.jpg)
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees)
Shaft: Accra Tour Z5 65 M5
3-wood: Titleist GT2 (13.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX
Irons: Titleist T200 (3), Titleist T200 (4), Titleist T100 (5), Titleist 631.CY Prototype (6-9)
Shafts: MMT Utility 105 TX (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F, 52-12F), WedgeWorks (58, 60 @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom 5.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align
Ball: Titleist Pro V1 Left Dot
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Whats in the Bag
Tony Finau WITB 2024 (July)
![](https://www.golfwrx.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_9950.jpeg.85e8e9a86c15fc343c1494aa382612e7.jpeg)
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees @8.5)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana GT 70 TX
3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (14 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX
Irons: Nike Vapor Fly Pro (3), Ping Blueprint S (4-PW)
Shafts: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 105 Hybrid X (3), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 120 TX
Wedges: Ping Glide s159 (50-12S, 56-12S), Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks Proto (60-T)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 125 Wedge S
Putter: Ping PLD Anser 2D Prototype
Grip: Garsen Golf Ultimate
Grips: Lamkin UTx Mid
Ball: Titleist Pro V1 Left Dot
See the rest of Tony Finau’s WITB in the forums.
More Tony Finau WITBs
- Tony Finau WITB 2023 (December)
- Tony Finau WITB 2022 (February)
- Tony Finau WITB 2021 (November)
- Tony Finau WITB 2021 (September)
- Tony Finau WITB 2021 (April)
- Tony Finau WITB 2021 Genesis Invitational
- Tony Finau WITB 2021 (January)
- Tony Finau WITB (2020 Tour Championship)
- Tony Finau WITB 2020
- Tony Finau WITB 2020
- Tony Finau WITB 2018
- Tony Finau WITB 2017
- Tony Finau WITB 2016
- Tony Finau WITB 2015
- Tony Finau’s winning WITB: 2022 Rocket Mortgage Classic
- Tony Finau’s winning WITB: 2022 3M Open
- Tony Finau’s winning WITB: 2021 Northern Trust
- Ryder Cup WITBs: U.S. Team
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Whats in the Bag
Collin Morikawa WITB 2024 (July)
![](https://www.golfwrx.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_1474.jpeg.a5c612d10479367b74816b12d23b9457.jpeg)
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 LS (9 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 60 TX (45 inches)
3-wood: TaylorMade SIM TI (14 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P-Series Proto (4), P7CB (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue Mid 115 X100 (4), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (5-PW)
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (50-SB09, 56-LB08), TaylorMade MG4 TW (60-SBC)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: TaylorMade TP Soto
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Tour 2.0
Grips: Golf Pride Z-Grip Cord
Ball: TaylorMade TP5x
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Pingback: Forum Giveaway: TaylorMade P7CB “Proto” irons – GolfWRX
Kinny
Apr 5, 2024 at 7:44 pm
That is a refashioned callaway legacy black!?
Roy
Apr 4, 2024 at 1:24 pm
Somehow I don’t think it’s the 4 iron holding Rory back…
Matthew Caraway
Apr 4, 2024 at 10:10 am
It almost looks like the old forged taylormade 300 series,
gery
Apr 3, 2024 at 11:26 pm
For all practical purposes, that is the 20-yr-old RAC TP forged design.
billy baroo
Apr 4, 2024 at 9:39 am
literally said the same thing when i saw it.
Luv
Apr 3, 2024 at 7:35 pm
Bringing back that RAC look. Love it