One shot. That’s all it might take for Rory McIlroy to make Masters history this week. To be clear: Augusta National doesn’t keep detailed equipment records, but it’s fair to say McIlroy will be the first golfer to ever use a ball with a logo in place of the play number.
Since McIlroy joined TaylorMade in 2016, he’s played a ball with the number 22 stamped on the cover. The number holds special significance for the four-time major winner.
“It’s the date I got married, which is a really important date to me,” he told GOLF.com. “I wanted to remember it on my golf ball.”
TayloMade TP5
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For Masters week, McIlroy is replacing the 22 on his TaylorMade TP5 with a Georgia peach logo. Before you ask, the USGA and R&A don’t have a problem with the play number being replaced with a logo. What matters most to golf’s governing body is the ball’s name and model side stamp.
The logo is, of course, a fun nod to the home of the Masters. TaylorMade confirmed McIlroy will be the only player in the field sporting the special TP5 “Peach” ball, which was made available on the company’s website at noon on Monday. It took less than an hour for TaylorMade to blow through 1,000 dozen balls.
The ball is a hot commodity during Masters week. Assuming McIlroy makes history on the course and becomes the sixth player to complete the career grand slam, his one-off ball could become something extra special.
