Tour News

Rory McIlroy, struggling with his putting, turns to cross-handed grip at Doral

Published

10 years ago

Mar 3, 2016

Rory McIlroy has joined World No. 1 Jordan Spieth as a cross-handed putter, for this week at least.

McIlroy lost 1.181 strokes to the field average in his cut-missing effort at the Honda Classic, but it seems that poor performance wasn’t the sole impetus for the change.

Put some good work in the last few days, ready for the blue monster this week!

A video posted by Rory McIlroy (@rorymcilroy) on Mar 2, 2016 at 3:46am PST

“Over the past few weeks my right hand was becoming a little bit too dominant, so I practiced over the weekend, just with left below right and it felt really, really good,” McIlroy told reporters at Doral. “I’m going to give it a try this week and see where we go with it. It felt really, really good, the roll of the ball is really good, the contact is much better and it really just takes my right hand out of it and that’s really what I wanted to do.”

As you might imagine, McIlroy hasn’t putted well at all on the PGA Tour this season. While he’s only made four starts, the Ulsterman is 189th in Strokes Gained: Putting, losing 0.543 strokes to the field. Worse, he’s 197th in putting inside 10 feet.

McIlroy lost 0.070 strokes to his average competitor last year. In 2014, he finished 41st in SG:P. The best McIlroy has ever placed in SG:P on Tour? 41st.

However, McIlroy isn’t trying a totally unfamiliar technique.

“I used it [the cross-handed grip] back in my first year on Tour, 2008, for a while but it’s a drill that I’ve always done. And I have also putted a lot with just my left hand. It’s one of those things where the drill started to feel better than the real thing so I’m just going to stick with it.”

And if you’re wondering what he’s putting with, here are in-hand photos of McIlroy’s gamer: a Nike Method Origin B201 (prototype).

Related: Rory McIlroy 2016 WITB

There will be plenty of eyes evaluating McIlroy’s modified grip: He’s playing with Jordan Spieth and Jason Day for the first two rounds of the WGC-Cadillac Championship.

Related Topics:

Up Next

Tour Mash: Scott’s Epic Comeback, PGA-LPGA Tours Announce Strategic Alliance

Don't Miss

“Starting to feel a lot better,” Tiger posts recovery update to his website

Ben Alberstadt

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

7 Comments

Tom

Mar 5, 2016 at 12:49 pm

I have been using left hand low for five seasons. It helps keep my right hand quite.

Reply Report comment
Carp

Mar 4, 2016 at 9:50 am

Those new Nike balls will make you look like a crap golfer

Reply Report comment
Jimmy

Mar 3, 2016 at 8:53 pm

Not surprising, only brad faxon and ben crenshaw had everything stay the same their entire career. I know Fowler used too and maybe still does alternate left hand low or conventional depending on the length of putt. I know for sure he used to do that.

Reply Report comment
snowman

Mar 3, 2016 at 3:30 pm

the CLAW is the Answer!

Reply Report comment
Joey5Picks

Mar 3, 2016 at 3:19 pm

It’s not “crosshanded”, it’s left-hand-low. The hands aren’t crossed.

Reply Report comment
- Butch
  
  Mar 3, 2016 at 11:17 pm
  
  How long is it going to take for supposedly professional people in golf to stop saying “cross handed?” Golf Channel announcers are famous for making that mistake!
  
  Reply Report comment
insider

Mar 3, 2016 at 12:09 pm

needs to go back the the scotty cameron fastback

Reply Report comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

Published

1 day ago

Jun 1, 2026

Ben A

GolfWRX is on site this week at the Memorial Tournament, with both Alistair Cameron and Tour Photographer Greg Moore on the ground in Dublin, Ohio, where a strong field is assembled to pay homage to the Golden Bear.

In addition to WITB galleries, we’ve already been treated to an in-hand look at Tommy Fleetwood’s new TaylorMade Spider putters.

Check out links to all our photos below.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the ShopRite LPGA

Published

6 days ago

May 28, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX Tour Photographer Greg Moore was on site in Galloway, New Jersey, ahead of the ShopRite LPGA powered by Wakefern to snap some WITB photos and more.

Check out links to all the photos below!

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

Odyssey putters – 2026 ShopRite(LPGA)

Popular Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge

Published

1 week ago

May 25, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

The famed Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, is the scene this week for the Charles Schwab Challenge, where Ludvig Aberg enters the week as the tournament favorite.

Tour Photographer Greg Moore and our traveling equipment insider, Alistair Cameron, are both on site this week in the Lone Star State. Thus far, we’ve been treated to an in-hand look at TaylorMade’s new ZT Max putter, as well as a bounty of WITBs.

Check out links to all our photos below.