Rory McIlroy’s decision to ditch TaylorMade’s latest Qi35 driver and revert to his trusted Qi10 has reignited the debate on whether new golf tech truly outperforms the old. But what really caught attention was how McIlroy had to taxi his Qi10 from his home to the Players Championship, highlighting just how desperate he was to get his old driver back in the bag.
Taxi!!!!
After initially putting the Qi35 in play at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, McIlroy found himself struggling with control. His driving stats took a hit, and by Saturday, it was clear things weren’t clicking. Rather than persist with TaylorMade’s newest technology, he decided to go back to what he knew worked. However, the Qi10 was still at his house, forcing him to arrange for it to be driven over to TPC Sawgrass just in time for his practice rounds.
Scheffler Reverts Back to Qi10
This kind of dramatic U-turn isn’t a great look for TaylorMade. When one of the most influential players in the world prefers an older model over their latest release, it raises concerns about whether the new club is truly an upgrade. And McIlroy isn’t alone—World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler has also opted to stick with his Qi10, despite TaylorMade pushing the Qi35 hard. Meanwhile, Ludvig Åberg recently made a similar move, switching back to his older Titleist TSR2 driver mid-tournament after struggling with the newer GT2 model.
TaylorMade Problem?
For TaylorMade, this is a problem. Golfers, both amateur and professional, tend to follow what the best in the world are using. If McIlroy and Scheffler aren’t convinced the Qi35 is better, why should weekend golfers shell out for the upgrade?
Masters Timeline
McIlroy’s scramble to get his Qi10 back serves as a reminder that while manufacturers push innovation, tour pros ultimately trust feel and performance over marketing hype. If the Qi35 isn’t good enough to keep the world’s best on board, its sales might struggle to keep up too, and TaylorMade will be working over time to get their stars into the current driver for The Masters!
