Rory McIlroy Caught Employing Novel Wedges Prior to Irish Open Competition

Rory McIlroy, the four-time Major champion, is preparing for a busy and significant run of events, including the BMW PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup, by changing his wedges ahead of the Amgen Irish Open.

During his practice round for the Amgen Irish Open, McIlroy was spotted with new TaylorMade MG5 wedges. One of the wedges had a 61° RM stamping on the back, while another had an RM printing without a degree stamping.

Previously, McIlroy had been using TaylorMade MG4s, which were in a 46° (09SB), 50° (09-SB), 54° (11SB) and 60° (08LB - 61°) configuration. The MG4s and the MG5s both have Project X 6.5s.

McIlroy, who won the Amgen Irish Open in 2016 at The K Club, is seeking a second title. He tees it up at the Amgen Irish Open this Thursday at 8:00am local time and Friday at 1:00pm, paired with Thriston Lawrence and Kristoffer Reitan.

At the Tour Championship, McIlroy ranked 19th for Strokes Gained: Around the Green and 20th in Scrambling, making 12 up-and-downs from 19. Despite finishing T12 at the BMW Championship and T23 at the 30-man Tour Championship, ending his PGA Tour season, McIlroy aims to piece everything together in his game for the Amgen Irish Open.

In a recent statement, McIlroy expressed his desire to be sharper than he was at BMW and the Tour Championship. He also emphasised the importance of getting himself in contention under pressure and the business end of things on Sunday.

Whether this new switch with his TaylorMade wedges is a permanent one remains unclear, but McIlroy will certainly be a force to reckon with at the Amgen Irish Open, currently the tournament favourite.