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  • Rory McIlroy WITB (12th June, 2025) - What's In The Bag? The US Open @ Oakmont Golf and Country Club

Rory McIlroy WITB (12th June, 2025) - What's In The Bag? The US Open @ Oakmont Golf and Country Club

The mysterious Qi10 “Dot” Driver is back in the bag this week, after a brief midseason fling with a younger model that lasted about as long as a Greg Norman peace treaty. This is the same setup that helped him win at Pebble, The Players and The Masters, and it’s clearly got that Rory fade bomb magic. Don’t be shocked if this club carries him to another back-nine Sunday charge

June 11, 2025

Rory McIlroy at the 2025 U.S. Open: Chasing Ghosts and Changing Gear

Rory McIlroy rolls into Oakmont for the 2025 U.S. Open like a man on a mission—or a man who just remembered where he left his major-winning swing: probably somewhere in the Augusta National parking lot, right next to his emotional support therapist.

After completing the career Grand Slam at The Masters (finally), you'd think Rory might be riding a green wave of form straight to another U.S. Open win. But alas, Rory's post-Masters slump hit harder than a late-night Bryson tweet. He’s been playing like a man who just realized his toaster isn’t WiFi-enabled. Still, despite a few bogey-stuffed weekends and putts that looked allergic to the hole, he’s got Oakmont circled in thick, angry Sharpie.

Why? Because Oakmont is tough. It’s meaner than Twitter on a Thursday. And if there’s one thing Rory loves more than flushing a high-cut 5-iron, it’s proving people wrong.

So what's changed for Rory heading into the week? A whole lot of club swapping. Rory’s been treating his golf bag like Tinder—left-swiping Drivers and Fairways like it’s 2014. He’s officially back in the full TaylorMade Qi10 setup, rolling with the same “Dot” prototype driver that sparked his early season wins and set Twitter alight with conspiracy theories. It’s the driver equivalent of getting the band back together.

But here’s the kicker: Rory actually thrives in chaos. Pressure? Good. Carnage? Better. Twitter beef? Delicious. He’s the kind of player who can go from “missed cut” to “major winner” faster than you can say “Northern Irish redemption arc.” His swing? Silky. His mindset? Somewhere between zen and homicidal.

So this week, don’t be shocked if Rory steps up on the first tee, blocks one into the rough, shrugs, and then birdies the next four. That’s just the Rory experience now: elite ball-striking, occasional putting trauma, and the lingering vibe of a man trying to chase down Scheffler whilst rummaging for his therapist’s voicemail.

Will he win? Maybe. Will it be entertaining? Oh, hell yes.

🏌️ Rory McIlroy’s 2025 Golf Bag – Full Specs Breakdown (AKA “The Tools of Turmoil”)

Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 “Dot” 9°, Fujikura Ventus Black 6X shaft
The mysterious “Dot” prototype is back in the bag this week, after a brief midseason fling with a lower-spin model that lasted about as long as a Greg Norman peace treaty. This is the same setup that helped him win at Pebble and The Players, and it’s clearly got that Rory fade bomb magic. Don’t be shocked if this club carries him to another back-nine Sunday charge.

3 Wood: TaylorMade Qi10 15°, Fujikura Ventus Black 8X shaft
This is the club Rory trusts more than his own short game. It’s a low-spinning missile launcher that doubles as his fairway finder and 280-yard green hunter. If you see him hitting this off the tee at Oakmont, it’s because the driver’s been naughty, and this is dad’s favourite child.

5 Wood: TaylorMade Qi10 18°, Fujikura Ventus Black 8X shaft
Rory loves a high, soft landing 5-wood, especially into par 5s. It’s basically his version of a cheat code. Expect to see it coming in hot to some brutal Oakmont pins, hopefully with less right-side spin-out than his Twitter followers.

Utility: TaylorMade P760 (2) 17°, Project X Black HZRDUS 6.5 105 shaft
This 2-iron is here for one reason: pain. Oakmont’s fairways are tighter than Scottie Scheffler’s warmup routine, and this club brings a piercing low bullet to the battle. When Rory’s dialed, it’s surgical. When he’s not? Well, it's still a vibe.

Irons: TaylorMade Rors Proto (5-9), True Temper Project X 7.0 shafts
The “Rors Proto” irons are as custom as it gets—think of them as the Ferrari of forged blades. They’re crisp, aggressive, and will absolutely punish any strike that’s even slightly off. Fortunately, Rory’s been hitting center face since about 2007.

Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 46° (09SB), 50° (09SB), 54° (11SB), 60° (LB06), True Temper Project X 6.5 (46-54), Project X 6.5 (58)
He’s gone full SB bounce on his gap wedges, with a low-bounce lob for maximum sauce. When Rory’s short game is on, it’s art. When it’s off, it's… well, at least the clubs look sexy.

Putter: Custom torched TaylorMade Spider Tour X3, SuperStroke Zenergy Pistol Tour grip
This putter has seen it all—victories, heartbreaks, and missed four-footers that made grown men cry. It’s in the bag this week because Rory needs it to be. The SuperStroke grip is more for emotional comfort than performance, but hey—it’s working (some days).

Ball: 2025 TaylorMade TP5
Still gaming the trusty TP5, because when you have 180mph ball speed, you want something that doesn’t explode on contact.

Grips: Golf Pride MCC grips
Firm, responsive, and all business—just like Rory’s press conference demeanor when someone mentions his “Majors since 2014” stat.

🧠 Rory McIlroy at Oakmont: U.S. Open Prospects & the Return of the Qi10 Gang

The U.S. Open is not built for the weak. It’s built for players who love pain, fairways the width of a linguine noodle, and greens so slick they make Augusta look like a local muni. And yet—here stands Rory McIlroy, back at Oakmont, armed with his Qi10s and a glint in his eye that says, “I’m either winning this or breaking my putter over my knee.”

Let’s address the slump. Since winning The Masters, Rory has looked... tired. Not physically, but spiritually. Like a guy who just finished writing his magnum opus and then realized he still had 20 tour stops and four more pressers about LIV Golf to endure. His swing hasn’t left him, but his sparkle dimmed post-Augusta. Missed fairways, lazy putts, and a vibe like he’s ghosting his own confidence.

But that’s changing this week.

Oakmont brings the pain, and Rory loves pain—just ask his major tally since 2014. The return to the Qi10 “Dot” setup is a major signal. He’s going back to what works. No more gear tinkering. No more testing new shafts on a Tuesday before a major. Just him, his bag of magic sticks, and the golf course equivalent of a haunted house.

This setup suits Oakmont perfectly: low-spin power off the tee, high-flying long irons, and a trusty 5-wood that could probably double as a pitching wedge on some of these greens. The course demands control and distance—a combo only a few guys can summon. Rory’s one of them. His driver is nuking, his irons are lasering, and his putter… well, pray for it.

Oakmont doesn’t reward patience. It rewards precision and insanity. Rory is both. He has the temperament of a poet trapped in a sprinter’s body—explosive, moody, and occasionally brilliant. If the putter holds up, he’s in it. If not, expect a few rounds of club-twirl-to-eye-roll transitions.

The key? Momentum. Rory feeds off vibes. A hot start, a birdie-birdie opening stretch, and suddenly the swagger returns. If you see a Sunday trot down the fairway with that look—you know the one, equal parts anger and grace—then buckle up. It’s on.

This U.S. Open is make-or-break. Win, and he silences every critic, every stat-head, every “10 years without a U.S. Open” chirper. Lose, and the whispers grow louder.

But this is Rory. Oakmont suits him. His game suits Oakmont. And the Qi10 gang? They’re back, baby.

Putter: Custom torched TaylorMade Spider Tour X3, SuperStroke Zenergy Pistol Tour grip

Ball: 2025 TaylorMade TP5

Grips: Golf Pride MCC grips

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