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- Rory McIlroy finally completed the career grand slam on Sunday night
- The Northern Irishman triumphed in the Masters, defeating Justin Rose
- McIlroy has changed one part of his game, leading to improved results
It’s been a long and tortuous 11 years for Rory McIlroy but on Sunday afternoon, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. It was a highly emotional scene for a man who has come so agonisingly close to ending his long wait for a major and the Green Jacket.
But it hasn’t come without hard work and dedication. Over the past 11 years, the Northern Irishman has battled with his swing, battled with LIV Golf and even endured difficulties in his personal life.
This might be some of the best golf he’s played in his glittering career, having now won three tournaments already on the PGA Tour. And interestingly, one thing he’s tweaked this year is the golf ball he uses.
According to the PGA Tour, McIlroy had been ‘messing around’ with his short game at Michael Jordan‘s exclusive golf club, The Grove XXIII, in South Florida. It was here that he started trialing a different golf ball, TaylorMade TP5 golf ball. and had been impressed with the results.
The TP5 is slightly softer than its counterpart, meaning players can get lofter flights on the golf ball.
Interestingly, TaylorMade have designed this ball with a Speed Wrapped Core, with a five-layer Progressive Speed construction that is wrapped around a Urethane cover.
Its design means when struck, players can put much more spin on the golf ball which can come in particularly handy if you’re looking for greater accuracy on fast-paced greens.
The brand says it is one of their softest five-layer Tour balls and is designed for golfers who prioritise feel and greenside performance.
‘I loved how it was reacting around the greens. And then I started hitting some like 60-, 70-yard shots with it and it was coming off much lower launch, but spinnier,’ McIlroy said, speaking on the TP5.
At the start of the 2025 season, he had hoped to improve his short game and putting and it certainly appears to have paid off.
Some of his improvements may be attributed to his new ball. On Sunday, McIlroy got himself out of bother with two absolutely sensational approach shots from difficult angles behind the trees on the seventh hole and around the trees on the 14th.
Prior to that, the now five-time major champion had been playing a 2019 version of the TP5x ball.
The TP5x is designed for a lower launch and offers less resistance in the air.
The technology used in the TP5x is similar to the TP5 but comes with a slightly different core that delivers less spin off the tee and in your long irons to help players blast the ball longer distances.
But with the TP5, the Northern Irishman has gone on to win three PGA Tour events this season. So what’s the difference? And why should you be like Rory and play a TaylorMade TP5?
He is the No 1 ranked player on the PGA Tour this year for strokes gained, first for strokes gained off the tee and 19th for approach. Interestingly, he’s also 10th for putting
What’s the difference between the TP5 and TP5x?
TaylorMade are one of the best brands in the business and their TP5 range of balls are their answer to Titleist’s Pro V1, which is dubbed by many including the brand themselves as one of the best balls in golf.
Both the TP5 and TP5x are exceptional golf balls in their own right and cater to lower handicappers with faster swing speeds looking for different results.
For those like McIlroy looking to dial in their short game, then the TP5 offers excellent spin from your irons and wedges to help you plonk the ball on the greens.
