Rory McIlroy was just one of about 50 players whose drivers were tested in advance of the PGA Championship. This simple administrative measure keeps players safe by helping to ensure that their clubs comply with known and accepted standards. Unfortunately, players often are unaware when their equipment has gone past the limits of performance. The outcomes of these tests are kept private in order to protect the player’s integrity.
The testing procedure— which one-third of the 156-man field failed — is typical for the PGA Championship. Kerry Haigh, the chief championships officer for the PGA of America, further confirmed that the United States Golf Association (USGA) was invited to test drivers. They will be field testing these innovations at this year’s tournament. This effort removes the excuse of players unknowingly using non-conforming clubs, which can occur over time as equipment can wear.
McIlroy’s driver was found to be nonconforming. As such, this revelation took a big splash. Yet he ranked dead last of all 74 players who made the cut in driving accuracy, with just 10 fairways hit in 36 holes. Studies indicate that a driver begins to over the conformance limits after around 5,000 swings. A golfer could achieve this goal in as little as four months of consistent play or practice.
Impact with a driver at swing speeds close to 115 mph—and frequently exceeding 120 mph for elite players—places truly extraordinary stresses. This pressure can cause “creep,” slowly changing the performance and sometimes forcing the club past acceptable limits.
“Finding driver heads that have crept over the line of conformance is not an unusual occurrence, especially for clubs that are hit thousands of times over a long period of time.” – Kerry Haigh
Players aren’t responsible for their clubs going out of conformance as long as they haven’t made active changes to them. We know from experience that a player’s healthy everyday swings can accidentally curve a ball just like this one.
Those test results have turned everything upside down for McIlroy. He is not able to practice with his driver at Quail Hollow, making it difficult for him to prepare for the tournaments to come. Despite the situation, he has refrained from addressing the media for the past two days, leaving fans and analysts alike speculating about his next steps.
Haigh pointed out the immediacy with which confidentiality became a key factor in these tests. He noted that publicly naming players who play for non-compliant clubs would lead to unanswered questioning of those players. This further highlights the PGA’s dedication to fostering an equitable and civil competitive landscape.
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