Reigning Masters champion Rory McIlroy was reportedly caught using an illegal driver before the 2025 PGA Championship kicked off on Thursday.
Rory McIlroy entered as one of the main favorites to win the 2025 PGA Championship, having joined the Grand Slam club last month with his triumph at Augusta. But McIlroy struggled mightily through his first two rounds, entering Saturday with a score of one over.
Anyone who follows the PGA closely knows that even the best golfers can have terrible rounds on any given day. But there may be a fascinating explanation behind Rory’s struggles at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina.
According to a report from Jason Sobel of SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio, McIlroy’s “gamer” driver was indeed considered “non-conforming” by the United States Golf Association. As such, he was forced to switch drivers before the 2025 PGA Championship commenced on Thursday.
Additionally, Sean Zak of Golf.com reports that the head on Rory McIlroy’s driver is a TaylorMade Qi10 model. Zack noted that McIlroy only hit 10 fairways over the first two rounds, a clear-cut indicator that he’s still getting used to his driver.
As just reported by our team on @SiriusXMPGATOUR:
— Jason Sobel (@JasonSobelGolf) May 16, 2025
Rory McIlroy’s “gamer” driver was deemed non-conforming by the USGA on Tuesday. He switched drivers prior to yesterday’s opening round.
Looking for his first major, 40-year-old Jhonattan Vegas leads the field at eight under heading into the weekend. Matthew Fitzpatrick, Si Woo Kim and Matthieu Pavon are tied for second and six under.
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Rory McIlroy Has Won Two PGA Championships
The 36-year-old McIlroy waited 11 long years between major victories, finally winning the 2025 Masters to end his drought (he won the 2014 PGA Championship and Open Championship).
McIlroy also won the 2012 PGA Championship, which marked his second major. If he can somehow overcome a sluggish start and emerge victorious on Sunday, McIlroy will become just the seventh male golfer to win at least three PGA Championships.
