TaylorMade’s Driving Relief match will see four of the world’s best golfers (Rickie Fowler, Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and Matthew Wolff) pair up to compete in a two-on-two skins format at famed Seminole Golf Club. It’s the kind of charity event the golf world needs after Covid-19 put the sport on hold two months ago.
The PGA Tour won’t officially return to the course until June at Colonial, but this weekend’s event marks the first glimpse we’ll get at the gear Fowler, McIlroy, Johnson and Wolff could have in the bag come next month. Outside of Fowler’s recent iron change, don’t expect to see many significant changes.
In advance of the match, here’s a look at the gear (including carry bags) all four players are expected to have in play.
Rickie Fowler
Cobra’s 2020 Product Line
(NOTE: Equipment is subject to change; here’s what Fowler has at his disposal.)
Driver: Cobra King F9 Speedback (Fujikura Ventus Black 7X shaft) 10.5 at 9 degrees
3-wood: Cobra King Speedzone Tour (Aldila Rogue Black 70TX shaft), 14 degrees
Irons: Cobra F9 Speedback (20.5 degreees; Graphite Design Tour AD IZ Prototype 120X shaft), Cobra F9 Speedback (24.5 degrees; KBS C-Taper 125S+ shaft), Cobra Rickie Fowler Prototype MB (5-PW; KBS Tour C-Taper 125 S+ shafts*)
Wedges: Cobra King V Grind (52, 56 and 60 degrees; True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shafts)
Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS
Ball: TaylorMade TP5 Pix (#15)
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align
Bag: Cobra Ultralight Sunday Bag – Black/Orange or Cobra Ultralight Stand Bag – Grey/Orange
* – Irons are soft stepped
Notes: The most notable change is the addition of Cobra “Rickie Fowler prototype” irons in a bronze-gold finish. … Fowler helped design TaylorMade’s TP5 Pix ball. … Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS putter was once part of Tiger Woods’ backup stock. … Fowler plays his Cobra King F9 Speedback driver at 43.5 inches, well below the Tour average for shaft length. … The 14-gram adjustable weight in his driver is positioned in the front to bring spin down.
Rory McIlroy
TaylorMade’s 2020 Product Line
(NOTE: Equipment is subject to change; here’s what McIlroy has at his disposal.)
Driver: TaylorMade SIM (Mitsubishi Kuro Kage 70X shaft), 9 degrees
3-wood: TaylorMade SIM (Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 80TX shaft), 15 degrees
5-wood: TaylorMade SIM (Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 90TX shaft), 18 degrees
Hybrid: TaylorMade SIM Max (Project X HZRDUS Yellow 105g 6.5 shaft), 19 degrees
Irons: TaylorMade P-760 (3-4; Project X 7.0 shafts), TaylorMade P-730 (5-PW; Project X 7.0 shafts)
Wedges: TaylorMade Milled Grind 2 Raw (52-09SB, 56-12SB and 60LB degrees; Project X 6.5 shafts)
Putter: TaylorMade Spider X Copper
Ball: TaylorMade TP5 (#22)
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Bag: TaylorMade FlexTech Lite (SIM Blue)
Notes: Ranks second on Tour in driving distance (320.2 yards) with TaylorMade’s SIM. … Started using a hybrid (SIM Max) for the first time in his career this season. … Rotates between three and four wedges depending on the course setup. … The #22 play number on his TP5 ball is a nod to his wedding day.
Dustin Johnson
TaylorMade’s 2020 Product Line
(NOTE: Equipment is subject to change; here’s what Johnson has at his disposal.)
Driver: TaylorMade SIM Max (Fujikura Speeder Evolution 661 Tour Spec 2.0 X shaft), 10.5 degrees
3-wood: TaylorMade SIM Max (Project X HZRDUS Black 95g 6.5 shaft), 16 degrees
Hybrid: TaylorMade SIM Max (Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 100 shaft), 19 degrees
Irons: TaylorMade P790 (3-iron; True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shaft), TaylorMade P-730 (4-PW; True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shafts)
Wedges: TaylorMade Milled Grind 2 (52, 56 and 60 degrees; KBS Tour 120S shaft)
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour Black (SuperStroke Pistol GT 1.0 grip)
Ball: TaylorMade TP5x (#1)
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Bag: TaylorMade FlexTech Lite (SIM Blue)
Notes: Like McIlroy, Johnson added TaylorMade’s SIM Max rescue during the Sentry Tournament of Champions. … Has continued to rotate between several different putters, but he always seems to return to an older model Spider Tour Black mallet. … The only TaylorMade staffer in the match using the TP5x golf ball.
Matthew Wolff
TaylorMade’s 2020 Product Line
(NOTE: Equipment is subject to change; here’s what Wolff has at his disposal.)
Driver: TaylorMade SIM (Graphite Design Tour-AD TP 7TX shaft), 8 degrees
3-wood: TaylorMade SIM Titanium (Graphite Design Tour-AD XC 8TX shaft), 15 degrees
Irons: TaylorMade P790 (2-iron; Project X HZRDUS Black 105X shaft), TaylorMade P760 (3-iron; Nippon Modus 130X shaft), TaylorMade P750 (4-PW; Nippon Modus 130X shaft)
Wedges: TaylorMade Milled Grind 2 Raw (50-09, 56-12 and 60-10 degrees; True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shafts)
Putter: TaylorMade Spider X Copper
Ball: TaylorMade TP5 (#21)
Grips: Golf Pride Z
Bag: TaylorMade FlexTech Lite (SIM Blue)
Notes: The #21 play number on his TP5 golf ball represents the winning score (21 under) from his first Tour win at the 2019 3M Championship. … Clubs are a half-inch shorter than standard length through the bag. … TaylorMade SIM driver is set slightly open at 8 degrees to reduce spin and allow Wolff to hit his go-to cut.
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