For nearly nine years, Rory McIlroy has relied on the same style of blade irons. So when he quietly swapped them out late last year, it wasn’t a small tweak. It was a genuine search for answers.

Currently sitting firm at T3 after the first round of Genesis Invitational, McIlroy spoke to Sky Sports and said how a few mishits in Abu Dhabi in November 2025 led to him trying a combo set in Australia in December. However, despite feeling pretty "good" with them, McIlroy admitted to “messing around with the shorter irons over the new year” and put them in play during the Middle East swing.

However, he resorted to his old blades after trying out all this, saying, I’m glad that I did the experiment, but I’m definitely happy that I’m back in my old trusty blades."

McIlroy added, “I’ve played those irons since 2017… you just have clubs that feel really comfortable in your hand, and you have a lot of trust in them.”

That trust was evident quickly. McIlroy shared that his iron play was quite good last week, and the confidence seems to be coming out of that.

McIlroy condensed the takeaway down to a very simple point. He said sometimes the best answer isn't to chase something new but to return to what has always worked.

What Does Rory McIlroy Have in His Bag for 2026?

Here’s what Rory McIlroy’s 2026 bag is all about:

■ Driver & Fairways

• TaylorMade Qi4D Driver (9° @7.5): Powered by a Fujikura Ventus Black 6X shaft, McIlroy’s 2026 driver choice emphasizes stability and workability off the tee.
• TaylorMade Qi4D 3-Wood (15°): With a Ventus Black 8X shaft, this fairway offers high launch and control from both tee and fairway lies.
• TaylorMade Qi4D 5-Wood (18°): Equipped with a Ventus Black 9X heeled shaft for added carry distance and versatility.

■ Irons & Short Game

• TaylorMade P760 (4-Iron): Used as the driving iron for long approaches and tight spots.
• TaylorMade Rors Proto (5-9 Irons): After trying out cavity back P7CB irons earlier this year, McIlroy has now decided to stick to his trusted Rors Protos from 5-iron to wedge.
• TaylorMade MG4 Wedges (46°, 50°, 54°, 60° bent to 61°): A full wedge set suited for precision scoring around the greens.

■ Putter & Ball

• TaylorMade Spider Tour X Putter: It is a mallet-style putter that a number of top pros love to use for their alignment and consistency on the greens.
• TaylorMade TP5 Golf Ball: The 2026 TP5 remains McIlroy’s choice for launch, feel, and control across all shots.

So do you think McIlroy's return to his trusted blade and all these in-the-bag equipment will help him with the Genesis Invitational, that he has never won?

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Written by

Dolly Bhamrick

Edited by

Souvik Roy