Observed: Rory McIlroy Using Novel Wedges Before Irish Open Event

Rory McIlroy Switches to New TaylorMade MG5 Wedges Ahead of Amgen Irish Open

Rory McIlroy has made a change to his wedge lineup ahead of the Amgen Irish Open, switching from his TaylorMade MG4s to the new MG5 models. The four-time major champion was spotted with the MG5 wedges during his practice round for the tournament.

McIlroy, who won the Amgen Irish Open at The K Club in 2016, will be aiming to claim a second title when the tournament gets underway on Thursday. His tee time for the first round is 8:00am local time.

The Northern Irishman finished T12 at the BMW Championship and T23 at the 30-man Tour Championship, concluding his PGA Tour season. Despite the disappointing results, McIlroy is focused on improving his game for the upcoming events.

"I need to piece everything together in my game before the Amgen Irish Open," McIlroy stated. "These are two important weeks to ensure my game is sharp, with the Amgen Irish Open and subsequent events on my schedule."

McIlroy will be grouped with Thriston Lawrence and Kristoffer Reitan for the tournament. His tee time for the second round is 1:00pm local time on Friday.

It's uncertain if McIlroy's move to the MG5 wedges is permanent, but the 32-year-old has been using TaylorMade wedges for several years. His 60° MG5 wedge has a 61° RM stamping on the back, which matches his usual specifications.

At the Tour Championship, McIlroy ranked 19th for Strokes Gained: Around the Green and 20th in Scrambling, making 12 up-and-downs from 19. The MG5s he's using at the Amgen Irish Open have Project X 6.5 shafts, which are the same shafts spotted in the MG5s at the Amgen Irish Open.

McIlroy is the tournament favourite, and he'll be looking to get himself into contention and be sharper than at BMW and the Tour Championship. With a busy and important schedule ahead, including the BMW PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup, McIlroy will be hoping to find his best form at the Amgen Irish Open.