Rory McIlroy Makes Significant Equipment Change Ahead of the Masters

Rory McIlroy arrived at the WGC-Dell Match Play with a new putter and shortened driver shaft, and both appear to be working for the four-time major champion as the 2023 Masters quickly approaches. 

In his opening group-stage match, the Northern Irishman defeated Scott Stallings, 3 and 1.

McIlroy, coming off a missed cut at the Players Championship, was spotted at Austin Country Club with a Scotty Cameron blade, rather than the trusty TaylorMade Spider Hydro Blast mallet he’s used for the past several seasons. 

McIlroy has seen success with a similar Scotty Cameron: He won both the 2011 U.S. Open and 2012 PGA Championship using the blade model. The putter he’s using this week is new, but practically a replica of his old flatstick. According to Golf.com’s Jonathan Wall, the model is a Scotty Cameron Newport GSS, and McIlroy is trying to “rekindle an old flame” with the club. 

“It has a line on the top just on the top line instead of on the flange. So, yeah, it’s basically the same,” McIlroy said. Although the location of the original major-championship winning putter in currently unknown, McIlroy’s said that his dad “has it somewhere.”

McIlroy is also making an adjustment in his pre-shot routine on the greens, and part of the motivation behind the putter switch was to accommodate that process. McIlroy has started using the alignment aid on his golf ball once again, and the line detail on his new Scotty Cameron pairs well with that strategy. 

“I just think what I’m trying to do with lining the ball up, the line on the top instead of on the flange matches up a little bit better for me,” McIlroy said after his first match in Austin. 

Over the weekend, rumors circulated that McIlroy paid a visit to Augusta National and carded a round with just 19 putts. 

To the rumor, McIlory responded with a smile: “Yeah, look, I had two good days. We played 54 holes in two days and it was good. I was really happy with where my game was.” 

McIlroy’s other big switch comes at the opposite end of his equipment roster. After vocalizing recent struggles with his TaylorMade driver at the Players, McIlroy showed up to the Match Play with a 44-inch shaft, which is half an inch shorter than his typical length. He also went with a softer shaft model than what he was previously playing to increase spin.

According to McIlroy, although the change is subtle, it was made with Augusta National in mind. 

“I needed to go to a slightly softer shaft and I can hit more shots with it and feel a bit more comfortable sort of playability-wise,” he said. 

“I mean, obviously this part of the season you've got one eye on what you're doing now and one eye on Augusta. It's trying to do both.” 

In addition to the driver tweak and the new putter, McIlroy also had a new TaylorMade Stealth 5-wood and 54 degree wedge in the bag at the Dell Match Play. We'll find out soon if McIlroy’s new tools make it into his bag at Augusta National.