Rory McIlroy makes surprise change before US Open

Just one week before the US Open test at brutish Oakmont Country Club, Rory McIlroy has made an intriguing late change to his bag. 

McIlroy has switched out TaylorMade‘s Qi10 driver, which he used to win the Masters in April, for the new Qi35 model.

According to his equipment manufacturer, McIlroy used the Qi35 last week on a visit to Oakmont, where accuracy off the tee will be paramount with extremely thick rough expected to cause chaos.

And the same weapon will be in play at this week’s RBC Canadian Open, where McIlroy is a two-time champion.

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The Qi35, which McIlroy was seen hitting in a Wednesday pro-am at TPC Toronto, has the same nine degrees of loft as his other driver and the same Fujikura Ventus Black shaft.

This driver, however, has a shorter finished length, which McIlroy will hope will give him more control off the tee.

The five-time major champion had used the Qi35 briefly earlier in the season at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, before reverting back to the trusty Qi10 before completing the career grand slam at Augusta National.

McIlroy had to play a back-up Qi10 at the PGA Championship last month after his trusty club was found non-conforming in the week of the major in random USGA testing.

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He didn’t speak to the media at Quail Hollow, and his frustration over the driver controversy being leaked was part of the reason why.

“It was supposed to stay confidential,” he said. “Two members of the media were the ones that leaked it.

“I didn’t want to get up there and say something that I regretted, either, because I’m trying to protect Scottie [Scheffler].

“I’m trying to protect TaylorMade. I’m trying to protect the USGA, PGA of America, myself.

“I just didn’t want to get up there and say something that I regretted at the time.”

McIlroy’s driver switch is not his only change this week.

He has also switched 3-woo to the new Qi35 fairway and will play the Qi10 5-wood and a P770 3-iron.

Ben Parsons is the Senior Writer at bunkered and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.