Staff WriterRory McIlroy has a flair for the dramatic, and at the Irish Open he delivered a finish that will be replayed as long as people still care about golf — which, thankfully, looks like a while yet.
The Northern Irishman drained a 28-foot eagle putt on the 72nd hole to force a playoff, then held his nerve to win on the third extra hole, claiming his second Irish Open crown and 20th DP World Tour title.
It wasn’t just about nerve. It was about equipment, too. Rory holed an absurd 160 feet of putts on Sunday with his Spider Tour X putter, and, for the first time in competition, put TaylorMade’s new MG5 wedges in play. The result? Straight into the winner’s circle.
A Wedge Worth Its Weight in Silverware
TaylorMade’s freshly forged MG5 wedges are already writing their own highlight reel. After Brooke Henderson gamed them to victory at the CPKC Women’s Open, McIlroy made it back-to-back wins for the club on the biggest stages.
At the start of the year, with his eyes fixed firmly on Augusta, Rory tweaked his setup by bending a 60° low-bounce lob wedge to 61°. That single degree shift proved decisive — he won at Pebble Beach, then at THE PLAYERS, and finally sealed his long-awaited career Grand Slam in April.
This week at the Amgen Irish Open, McIlroy moved into a full MG5 wedge setup — 46°, 50°, 54°, and his trusty 60° LB (still bent to 61°). What did he like? Three things: how it looks at address, how it digs (or doesn’t) into the turf, and how it feels in his hands.
The MG5’s Spin Tread Technology and newly engineered saw-milled grooves made a difference in the damp Irish conditions, producing more friction, higher spin, and a slightly lower, more consistent launch. Just the kind of traits you want when the course is asking tough questions.
The Specs Behind the Success
Rory’s MG5 60° Spec
- Head: MG5 60° LB
- Finished Loft: 61°
- Lie: 63.5°
- Length: 35 1/8’’ cut
- Swingweight: D5
- Shaft: Project X 6.5 Wedge
Rory’s MG5 54° Spec
- Head: MG5 54° SB
- Finished Loft: 54°
- Lie: 63°
- Length: 35 1/2’’ cut
- Swingweight: D4.5
- Shaft: Project X 6.5
Rory’s MG5 50° Spec
- Head: MG5 50° SB
- Finished Loft: 50°
- Lie: 62.5°
- Length: 35 3/4’’ cut
- Swingweight: D4.5
- Shaft: Project X 6.5
Rory’s MG5 46° Spec
- Head: MG5 46° SB
- Finished Loft: 46°
- Lie: 62°
- Length: 36’’ cut
- Swingweight: D4
- Shaft: Project X 6.5
The Spider Tour X Lights It Up
As jaw-dropping as Rory McIlroy’s wedge game was, it was his Spider Tour X putter that stole the show on Sunday. Here’s a quick roll call of the bombs he made:
- 38-foot birdie on the 2nd
- 43-foot birdie on the 5th
- 10-foot birdie on the 9th
- 8-foot par save on the 12th
- And, of course, that 28-foot eagle on the 18th to tie
His Spider Tour X spec:
- Sight Line: Full Line
- Insert: Pure Roll
- Finish: Torched
- Shaft: Black Stepless
- Length: 34.5″ EOG
- Loft: 2°
- Lie: 69°
- Swing Weight: E0
- Grip: SuperStroke Pistol Tour
- Wraps: 1
That’s not a putter. That’s a magician’s wand.
The Ball Switch That Changed Everything
Perhaps the most underappreciated switch of the season has been Rory McIlroy’s quiet move from the TP5x to the TP5 golf ball. Initial tests showed a degree lower launch angle without losing spin or driver speed, and he hasn’t looked back since.
“TP5 has enabled him to improve his half- and three-quarter shots and has become better with shaping wedge and iron shots in both directions,” said TaylorMade. That improved control around the greens has been a subtle but steady contributor to his success all year.
Rory’s Winning Bag at the Irish Open
- Driver: Qi10 9.0° (Ventus Black 6X)
- 3-Wood: Qi10 15.0° (Ventus Black 8X)
- 5-Wood: Qi10 18.0° (Ventus Black 9X)
- 4-Iron: P·760 (Project X 7.0)
- Irons (5-9): Rors Proto (Project X 7.0)
- Wedges: MG5 46° SB, 50° SB, 54° SB, 60° LB (Project X 6.5)
- Putter: Spider Tour X Short Slant
- Ball: TP5 “RORS”
Rory McIlroy has never been shy about tinkering with his tools, but this latest combination looks like alchemy. With the MG5 wedges, a Spider Tour X that seems half sorcery, and the TP5 ball, he’s not just winning tournaments — he’s rewriting his own highlight reel.
The Irish Open will be remembered for that eagle putt, yes. But the real story is this: Rory McIlroy now has a setup he trusts, and when that happens, the rest of the golf world tends to suffer.
