Rory McIlroy laments change of driver after poor start at Players Championship

It feels strangely appropriate that the trampoline effect is partly responsible for the troubles encountered by Rory McIlroy on day one at the Players Championship. After all, a bounce is precisely what McIlroy needs during round two in order to survive for the weekend.

McIlroy’s 76, his worst competitive score since the first round of the 2021 Masters, was notable for a series of wayward drives. He found just six from a possible 14 fairways. “It’s very penal when you don’t hit fairways and I just didn’t hit a lot of fairways today,” McIlroy said. “That’s the reason the score is what it is.”

At first glance, this is curious given driving is typically a McIlroy strong suit. Yet the 2019 Players champion explained the mechanics behind what has transpired more than once in the early part of this season. He switched drivers after the first round of the Genesis Invitational, partly through fear that the club he had used for around a year would become non-confirming through wear and tear. Trampoline effect, or COR, is checked by the governing bodies periodically at tour events.

McIlroy said: “I went to that new driver in Riviera, and it’s just not … look, I wish I could use my driver from last year but I can’t just because if you use a driver for so long, basically it just wouldn’t pass the test. The more a club is used, the more it’s hit, the more springy the face becomes.

“These driver heads are so finicky, it’s hard to get one exactly the same. I’m obviously trying my best, trying to get something that’s as close to what I had last year. I have just struggled a little bit off the tee the last couple weeks.” It should be noted McIlroy recovered from a poor opening round to finish one stroke shy of a playoff at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

On the new driver itself, McIlroy added: “This one is as close as it’s been. There’s obviously a part of it that’s the user, as well. It’s quite a lot of user error in there as well.

“They were testing drivers at Riviera but I just didn’t even want to take the chance. I just was not comfortable knowing that it could fail. Doesn’t look good on me, doesn’t look good on [the manufacturer] TaylorMade.”

McIlroy’s day opened with a double bogey six at the 10^th. It concluded with another half dozen shots, this time at the par five 9^th. McIlroy’s halves were matching 38s.

“When I turned I thought, OK if I can get myself back even par for the day it’d be alright,” he said. “I just couldn’t really get anything going. I hit it in the middle of the fairway on nine there and to make bogey is obviously very disappointing. I need to regroup and try to shoot a good one tomorrow and be here for the weekend.” Unsurprisingly, McIlroy was seen battering drives down the range long after his round had concluded.

McIlroy’s travails were in contrast to the performance of Chad Ramey. The world No 225 raced into the early lead with a bogey-free 64. Collin Morikawa produced nine threes while en route to a 65. Scottie Scheffler, playing alongside McIlroy, signed for a 68. Justin Rose continued his return to prominence with a three under par 69.