What’s in the Bag: Rory McIlroy, 2025 Masters

Unlike a lot of players who tweaked and tuned their gear like mad scientists heading into the 2025 Masters, Rory McIlroy kept his equipment setup steady—because when you’re chasing history, maybe don’t go full tinkerer. Well, almost steady. The one notable change? McIlroy ditched the standard No. 1 play number on his TaylorMade TP5 ball and replaced it with “RORS.” A bold flex. And a good omen. Because RORS roared, finally snagging that elusive green jacket and completing the career Grand Slam with a playoff-winning birdie over Justin Rose.

Equipment-wise, Rory rolled with a split set of TaylorMade irons like a man who can’t pick a favorite child: a P760 4-iron for a little forgiveness and his trusty Rors prototype blades when it was time to get surgical. Add in the Milled Grind 4 wedges, and it’s a short game setup, so dialed in that even Augusta’s greens had to tip their cap. Note: He did hit some world-class shi*t wedges on 13 and 18 Sunday but made up for it with the sublime gap wedge he hit from the fairway on the sudden-death playoff hole.

But let’s talk about the ball. Because the biggest switch wasn’t hyped in a press release—it was more of a happy accident. Rory swapped out his TP5x for the TP5 earlier this year after a casual testing session that has since turned into a love story.

“I sort of stumbled upon it,” McIlroy said, like someone who just found out oat milk makes the perfect latte. “I was just hitting chips with the TP5 and thought, ‘Wait, this is kinda nice.’ Then I started hitting 60- and 70-yard shots and it was launching lower, spinning more… I was like, ‘OK, we’re in a relationship now.’”

That softer feel and extra spin gave him the control he needed around Augusta’s greens, turning tricky situations into highlight reels. And just like that, Rory finally completed golf’s most exclusive to-do list—and made it look downright fun doing it.