In addition to winning both of the year’s first two majors, Korda has also logged two additional wins and three runners-up this season in eight starts. The lone non-top-two finish was a T8 last month in Cincinnati.
All of that success has come after multiple changes to her bag late last year, including a switch to the Tour version of TaylorMade’s 2026 TP5x golf ball. Korda was one of the early adopters of the new ball after looking to gain more launch and stopping power with her irons.
“The new TP5x is a game changer for her,” TaylorMade Tour Rep Ryan Ressa said. “When I walked with her after first putting it in play, the ball was noticeably better with her irons. She was playing more aggressively and felt like she could attack pins more freely. She can be way more aggressive with her scoring clubs, which is something she felt like she couldn’t do toward the end of last season.”
The extra spin and check also helps Korda around the greens by allowing her to be more aggressive through the strike.
Korda switched into a Qi4D driver late last year, breaking a streak of using TaylorMade’s “Max” model driver since signing with the company in 2023, and it goes back to her days at Titleist playing their “1” models. That includes the Qi10 Max, which was the driver for her historic, seven-win 2024 season and that she held onto for the entirety of 2025.
She felt the oversized shapes allowed her to turn the ball over more easily.
“The most important thing is the comfort I have over the ball when I look down at the driver,” Korda said. “After that, it’s just if it performs the way I want to.”
The Qi4D does not have that shape, but it does allow manipulation of ball flight through its four adjustable weight ports.
But with every TM staffer seeing ball speed gains with the Qi4D, the Tour team wanted to reintroduce the more pear-shaped profile of the Qi4D to Korda, and after 20 swings, she said, “I actually like this shape better.”
Her final setup included a heavier back heel weight, upright lie angle and a touch more loft, along with the Graphite Design Tour AD-FI shaft.
The golf ball wasn’t the only change Korda made to get more height into the greens, which paid off at Riviera this week. Korda also switched to TaylorMade’s P7CB irons, from the more compact P7MC, late last year.
“I need a little bit more height when it comes to my irons because when we play major championship golf courses, the greens tend to get firmer and faster,” Korda said of the switch. “[P770 and P7CB] give me that so I know that even if I hit a controlled shot, it’s not going to shoot on the green.”
The victory came with Korda’s TaylorMade NK Proto putter, which she switched to last fall as well, and it mimics the shape of the previous putter she used to win six of her seven victories in 2024. However, the NK Proto features TaylorMade’s Pure Roll insert, which has been the catalyst of the company’s Spider mallet platform’s success on the men’s tour with five of the past six major victories.
Nelly Korda’s winning WITB at the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open
Nelly Korda’s Qi4D driver.TaylorMade
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D 10.5 degrees FCT Sleeve: Upright 1 Towards Higher Front weights: 5g Heel, 3g Toe Back weights: 3g Heel, 3g Toe Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD FI 6-S Length: 44 3/4’’ CUT
SHAPED FOR SPEED
The re-engineered head profile increases ball speed thanks to improved aerodynamics developed through advanced simulations.
FACE FOR DISTANCE
60x Carbon Twist Face™ is a technological cornerstone that provides weight savings, incredible ball speed and more consistency vs. a titanium face.
ADJUSTABLE PERFORMANCE
4° loft sleeve can be used to adjust loft, lie and face angle for optimized flight.
TOUR PROVEN TECHNOLOGIES
New and improved cut-through Speed Pocket™ protects ball speed and reduces spin on low-face strikes.
Advanced CAD modeling creates a design with a clean and powerful sound, a foundation of TaylorMade driver performance.
Multi-Material Construction allows engineers to strategically place mass in areas of the head where it maximizes performance, speed, and stability.
The Graphite Design Tour AD FI (Flight Intelligence) wood shaft brings a fresh evolution to the Tour AD lineup, engineered with precision in Graphite Design’s Japan factory. Designed to deliver mid-level launch with low to mid-low spin, it incorporates advanced materials like AD Shield, Torayca M40X, and T1100G, along with the brand’s unique Tornado Tip Technology. Visually, the shaft stands out with a refined butt-section weave, an updated Tour AD logo, and a bold teal-to-black gradient finish at the tip—blending high performance with a sleek, modern look.
PROVEN RECIPE
TaylorMade Fairways have dominated on Tour for over a decade because of their unique performance recipe, which enables maximum distance and versatility.
The Qi4D fairway is designed for golfers who want the most advanced technology while still prioritizing versatility and control with amazing distance.
ADJUSTABLE PERFORMANCE
Utilizing a single Trajectory Adjustment System weight (8g x1) provides the golfer a more mass efficient way to adjust flight, spin and swing weight.
4° loft sleeve can be used to adjust loft, lie and face angle for optimized flight and is available in all lofts.
REFINED ATTRIBUTES, BIG CHANGES
Engineers conducted an objective analysis of all the performance attributes and discovered new methods to enhance performance and confidence.
Sit points, lie angles, address views, and center of gravity locations were all updated based on Tour feedback and the expertise of leading fitters worldwide, ensuring the optimal fairway across skill levels.
TOUR-PROVEN TECHNOLOGIES
New and improved cut-through Speed Pocket™ protects ball speed and reduces spin on low-face strikes.
Advanced CAD modeling creates a design with a clean and powerful sound, a foundation for TaylorMade fairway performance.
Twist Face™ features corrective face curvature designed to provide straighter shots on mishits.
Multi-Material Construction allows engineers to maximize performance by increasing discretionary weight.
BEST-IN CLASS FEEL
Using Tour feedback and modal analysis we’ve strategically designed mass placement for best in class feel. Crafted using Compact Grain Forging and 2000 tons of pressure to deliver the purest feeling 1025 soft carbon steel possible.
PRECISE CONTROL
Precise milled face and grooves combined with a constant CG the P•7CB is designed to deliver an optimal launch and spin combination for the ultimate control and precision.
CONSISTENCY
Created to maximize accuracy and consistency. The P•7CB optimized perimeter weighting and co-forged tungsten designed to deliver a beautiful blend of stability and workability.
COMPACT TOUR SHAPING
Every aspect of shaping in this iron was intended to meet the needs of discerning ball strikers. A compact blade length and thin topline create a confident, clean look in the playing position while the sole camber and progressive bounce profile provide consistent turf interaction.
FORGED FEEL
Incredible feel is a must for having a great wedge game. MG5 has been forged from soft carbon steel and designed with geometry to provide excellent feel with great feedback.
MAXIMUM SPIN
MG5 uses all-new, more aggressive grooves designed to maximize spin. Saw-milled grooves produce tighter tolerances allowing engineers to design steeper walls and sharper radii intended to maximize spin in both dry and damp conditions.
PERFORMANCE IN ALL CONDITIONS
RAW face with Spin Tread technology channels away moisture to help retain spin. The same way that tire treads help your car stay connected to the road, laser-etched channels redirect water at impact and creates more friction between the club face and golf ball to maintain spin in wet conditions.
CRAFTSMANSHIP MEETS CONSISTENCY
Crafted by hand and then milled to perfection. Each wedge and sole grind are precision-milled to eliminate the natural human error that comes with hand polishing. Our grinds deliver unmatched consistency and craftsmanship that players can count on every time.
CHARCOAL FINISH
MG5 debuts a sleek, sophisticated charcoal finish that reduces glare and enhances its aesthetic appeal in the bag.
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It’s Time to Switch Built on the success of the best Team TaylorMade athletes in the world, TP5x is designed to deliver low spin and unparalleled distance off the tee and world-class feel and control where you need it most around the green. What Is Microcoating? No two golf balls are the same, but the all-new TP5x sets out to solve an invisible problem through our revolutionary microcoating finish process. Uneven paint and excess pooling in the dimples can compromise distance and accuracy. Microcoating uses precision application technology to ensure uniform coverage across the ball’s entire surface. Click on the video for a deep dive. Thinner than a Human Hair Microcoating is thinner than a human hair and delivers measurable performance advantages: more consistent ball flight, optimized distance, and tight left-to-right dispersion. Tour-Level Speed The reengineered Speed Wrapped Core in TP5x increases the coefficient of restitution (COR) for exceptional ball speed at the top end of your bag. Hyper Focus TP5x Stripe employs an all-new Tour Stripe with 360° ClearPath Alignment™, tighter feedback lines, and a performance dot that allows you to achieve hyper focus on the green and hole more putts.
Tour Velvet Swing Grip The most popular grip in golf today combines an exclusive, state-of-the-art rubber-blend compound, non-slip surface pattern for maximum playability, comfort, and confidence. The Tour Velvet® is the standard upon which many club manufacturers base their grip designs. ALL-WEATHER CONTROL State-of-the-art rubber-blend compound with a non-slip surface pattern for maximum playability and confidence. MODERATE SURFACE TEXTURE Scientifically designed plus sign texture created to pull moisture away from surface to allow for consistent traction. MODERATE FEEDBACK The standard in grip feel providing comfort and moderate feedback. Specifications: Grip Size: Standard, Midsize, Jumbo Core Size: 58 Round, 60 Round, 60 Round
Jack Hirsh is the Associate Equipment Editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his high school golf team and recently returned to the program to serve as head coach. Jack also still *tries* to remain competitive in local amateurs. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting the weather. He can be reached at jack.hirsh@golf.com.
