Rory McIlroy's Late-Night Uber Rescue Mission Saves His Club Setup at Arnold Palmer Invitational
During the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Rory McIlroy orchestrated an unusual equipment switch that involved an Uber driver transporting his old clubs 170 miles from West Palm Beach to Bay Hill in Orlando.
After using the new TaylorMade Qi35 driver and fairway woods for the first three rounds, McIlroy decided to revert to his previous clubs before Sunday's final round. Despite winning at Pebble Beach with his older equipment, he had initially switched to the newer models seeking additional distance.
Brad Faxon, former pro-turned-analyst who works with McIlroy, revealed to Sky Sports that the clubs were Ubered from McIlroy's home on Saturday night. The older clubs provide slightly more spin, which McIlroy prefers for better ball control, especially at courses like TPC Sawgrass with its thick rough and smaller greens.
"Sort of going back to what I'm comfortable with," McIlroy explained after shooting 72 and finishing tied for 15th. He acknowledged the irony of changing equipment after leading Strokes Gained: Off the tee at both Pebble Beach and Torrey Pines.
At the Players Championship, McIlroy confirmed he'll continue using the same setup from Sunday at Bay Hill, including for the upcoming Masters. Despite recent finishing struggles, he's encouraged by improvements in his putting, finishing fifth in that category at Bay Hill.
McIlroy, tied with Collin Morikawa at +1100 odds to win the Players Championship, won the tournament in 2019. He's scheduled to tee off alongside Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele at 1:29 p.m. ET on Thursday, with coverage on Golf Channel from 1-7 p.m. ET.