Rory McIlroy is still getting accustomed to his new Nike equipment and golf ball, so it’s no big surprise that the world’s No. 1 ranked struggled in his first tournament and missed the cut at this week’s Abu Dhabi Championship.
No doubt McIlroy, who earlier this week signed a Nike Golf contract that could be worth as much as much as $250 million over 10 years, to the equipment that includes a new Nike Covert driver, VR Pro irons and 20XIx golf ball. The young Irishman especially likes the 20XIx golf ball.
“I found it was much more stable in the wind,” than the Titleist Pro V1x head had played for years. “It didn’t climb on me just as much. I spin the ball quite a lot, and I sort of need a ball that doesn’t spin that much, especially when it’s windy.
“I think with this technology and this golf ball with the resin core, making the core lighter, they are able to make the perimeter of it a little heavier which makes it a little more stable in the air, so that can only help.
“With the driver, I’ve picked up, you know, on average, two or three miles an hour more ball speed. Sometimes, if I go after one, I can get it up into the 180s, which I was never really able to do before. That’s been a big help And the spin rate is great, because when (the ball) it hits the ground, it’s still it goes.