Rory McIlroy’s form has taken a sharp and public downturn just weeks after his triumphant win at the 2025 Masters. At the PGA Championship, he turned in a jarring performance, missing 30 of 56 fairways—among the worst in the field. His approach game wasn’t much better, ranking 65th in Strokes Gained: Approach and 69th in proximity to the hole, leaving him chasing par more often than setting up birdie looks. He finished T47 at 3-over-par, disconnected from the confident player fans had seen earlier this season. But poor ball-striking wasn’t the only story.

Just ahead of the PGA Championship, his TaylorMade Qi10 driver was flagged by the USGA for being non-conforming, reportedly due to excessive face flexibility. The test had been requested by the PGA of America, and while such checks are

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