Rory McIlroy's first start of the year comes with major equipment changes

Rory McIlroy’s return to competition for his first start of 2026 came with a familiar twist: new year, new equipment—and a reminder that even one of the best ball-strikers of his generation is always searching for small gains.

McIlroy arrived at the DP World Tour’s Dubai Invitational with a notable shakeup in the bag, debuting a set of TaylorMade P7CB irons (5–9) and an unreleased 2026 TP5 golf ball in competition for the first time. (He had previously used the irons during a recent TGL match.)

Historically, the early part of the season has been McIlroy’s window to experiment, assess and refine. This offseason was no different. Before the calendar even flipped to 2026, he had already added TaylorMade’s Qi4D driver and fairway woods, a clear signal he’d been busy reevaluating his setup.

Despite the changes, McIlroy didn’t look like someone easing into new gear. An opening-round five-under 66 with seven birdies put him one shot clear of Connor Syme and David Puig at Dubai Creek Resort.

“I felt like I left a few out on the second nine,” McIlroy said. “But I played a really good nine holes of golf. Overall, a nice way to start the year.”

The iron change is the most revealing—and not simply because McIlroy has long been associated with blade-style profiles, most recently TaylorMade's Rors Proto. The move to a cavity-back design was driven by a desire for more forgiveness, particularly on slight mishits that proved increasingly costly last season.

“I do,” McIlroy said when asked if he could use more off-center forgiveness. “If there’s help to be had, I’ll definitely take it.”

That realization came into sharp focus last year in Dubai. “I hit a couple of 5-irons that I mis-struck slightly, and instead of it maybe coming up five or seven yards short, it was coming up more like 10 to 15 yards short.”

At tour speeds, that’s the difference between a manageable approach and a short-sided miss. It was enough to prompt McIlroy to explore something with more built-in forgiveness. TaylorMade built him a set of P7CBs, and the feedback was immediate. On mis-hits, McIlroy noticed improved distance control without giving up spin consistency. In fact, the irons tended to hold their line a bit better—an important performance check for a player who relies heavily on controlling trajectory and curvature.

Testing accelerated in Australia, where firm turf conditions offered an ideal proving ground. McIlroy initially put only the 4-, 5- and 6-irons in play on Thursday before committing to the full set over the weekend. A key design detail stood out: the leading edge. The P7CB’s leading-edge geometry is similar to what McIlroy previously used in his P760 long irons, a shape that reduces digging and allows the club to move through the turf more efficiently—something McIlroy noticed immediately on tight, firm lies.

“With that firm turf down there, I felt like those irons were going through the turf better than the blades,” McIlroy said.

Practice at home reinforced the early feedback. Alongside the irons, McIlroy also introduced a new, unreleased 2026 TP5 golf ball this week.

“I’ve got a new golf ball in play as well,” he said. “So overall, I like what I’ve seen at home, and today was a good test for it.”

McIlroy’s willingness to reassess his setup underscores how even established players continue to evolve. The P7CB irons and new TP5 aren’t radical departures, but subtle adjustments designed to stabilize performance and reduce volatility. Early in the season, that’s often the difference between experimenting for the sake of change and making refinements that last.