Collin Morikawa switches to TaylorMade ‘Proto’ 4-iron, following Rory McIlroy’s lead
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Collin Morikawa's TaylorMade "proto" 4-iron. (Courtesy GolfWRX)
GolfWRX.comCollin Morikawa has recorded back-to-back top-three finishes on TOUR, all while working through a series of equipment changes. It’s a testament to his creativity and adaptability.
Here’s a look at these changes.
Early-week at the Masters, Morikawa switched into a TaylorMade Qi10 LS 9-degree driver, after using his older SIM model for most of the year. He also switched into a TaylorMade Qi10 core-model 3-wood with 13.5 degrees of loft, and he changed to a TaylorMade “MySymbol” TP5x No. 5 golf ball, with a numeric aesthetic reminding of a baseball uniform.
Then he switched putters after the first round at Augusta National, trading a TaylorMade Spider Tour X putter for his familiar TP Soto blade-style putter. It was a fruitful adjustment as Morikawa proceeded to tie for third at the Masters, his best finish at a major championship since winning The Open in 2021.
Yet the changes continued. At the RBC Heritage, Morikawa switched out his former TaylorMade P-770 hollow-bodied 4-iron for TaylorMade’s new, unreleased “Proto” 4-iron – which Rory McIlroy introduced at last month’s Valero Texas Open due to its high launch, feel and performance.
“I used to hit my P-770 on a string, but sometimes the distance would be a little unpredictable,” Morikawa said Wednesday. “This one launches a touch higher, and I feel I can predict the distance better. I know Rory replaced his P-760 with it. I’m liking it so far.”
What exactly is this “Proto” iron? It remains to be seen. TaylorMade has yet to officially comment on the new club, leaving equipment fans to wonder whether it’s an upgrade to an older TaylorMade model, or something new entirely.
The “Proto” was the only 4-iron in Morikawa’s bag Tuesday at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, which he’ll play alongside Kurt Kitayama in the two-man team event. McIlroy, who will team with Shane Lowry at the Zurich, also had the “Proto” as the only 4-iron in the bag Tuesday.