Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood are using a new TaylorMade Qi4D drivers at Yas Links.
After two rounds at Yas Links Golf Club in Abu Dhabi, home of this week’s DP World Tour stop, Rory McIlroy sits at 8 under par and tied for 20th. The 2025 Masters champion will have a voice in the tournament over the weekend, but he is six shots behind Tommy Fleetwood and Aaron Rai. Still, it sets up some entertaining early-morning golf before the football kicks off this weekend. But if we’re being honest, for equipment lovers, the real intrigue this week isn’t the leaderboard. It’s the drivers.
In photos, it’s clear McIlroy is swinging a yet-to-be-released TaylorMade Qi4D driver. Fleetwood, meanwhile, appears to have the Qi4D LS in play. These clubs showed up on the USGA and R&A’s Conforming Driver Head lists on Monday, signaling they are now fair game in competition. TaylorMade hasn’t provided any technical details yet.
Abu Dhabi is a useful proving ground. The winds can rise and fade without warning. These fairways have enough width to allow experimentation but punish carelessness when the breeze starts to gust. And even though a trophy is up for grabs, the pressure is not at Augusta-in-April levels. If the new drivers misbehave, there is time and calendar cushion. The holidays are coming. Testing can continue in peace at home.
After opening with a 68 on Thursday, McIlroy held his cards close to the vest with regard to his new club. “I felt like the driver was good. Obviously, a new driver in the bag this week. Felt like that worked well,” he said. The words are plain, but there’s a hint of relief in them. He went on: “Hit some good iron shots. Felt like I controlled my ball in the wind pretty well when the wind got up there a little bit for the last few holes.”
Fleetwood was not asked about his new driver, so he said nothing. If, however, either he or McIlroy wins on Sunday, it could create buzz for TaylorMade’s next family of drivers and promote more speculation about what the clubs do and when the public might get a chance to buy them.
