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Rory McIlroy returns from a self-imposed three-and-a-half month hiatus from competitive golf at this week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship – and he does so with some shiny new TaylorMade clubs in tow.

The world No.11 is making his first start since the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October, where he was seen using the 2017 TaylorMade M2 driver.

This week, he’s debuting the new TaylorMade M3 driver and 3-wood. He has also got a new lob wedge in the bag.

Here’s a full run-down of the clubs he’s using…

Driver: TaylorMade M3 (8.5°)
Fairway:
TaylorMade M3 (15°)
Utility:
TaylorMade P790 UDI 2-iron
Irons:
TaylorMade P750 (3-4) & TaylorMade P730 RORS Proto (5-9)
Wedges:
TaylorMade MG (47°, 54°) & TaylorMAde MG Hi-Toe (60°)
Putter:
TaylorMade Mullen 2 putter

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Pic: Ryan Lauder, Twitter (@RyanLauder66)

WATCH – TAYLORMADE M3 DRIVER: FIRST LOOK!

McIlroy is also using the TaylorMade TP5x ball, which you might notice has the number 22 stamped on it.

Why ‘22’? A couple of reasons. One, he married his wife, Erica, on April 22 last year. Two, he says it is a number that reflects his approach to playing golf.

“We looked up the meaning of numbers and the number 22 means powerful and high risk, high reward,” he was quoted as saying last year. “That’s sort of everything I am on the golf course so I thought that was appropriate.”

This week is also McIlroy’s first event since announcing Harry Diamond as a permanent replacement for his former caddie,  JP Fitzgerald.


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Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor

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