Revealed: Rory McIlroy's huge Uber bill after getting TaylorMade clubs delivered
Rory McIlroy got his trusty TaylorMade Qi10 woods delivered to Bay Hill via Uber last weekend, and it did not come cheap... albeit with a generous tip for the driver!
For professional golfers, confidence in their equipment can make all the difference between contending for a title and falling out of the race. Rory McIlroy learned that lesson the hard way last weekend at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
After spending three rounds using new TaylorMade Qi35 woods for the first time in competition, the World No.2 found himself struggling to find the right rhythm, especially from the tee.
Frustrated and second-guessing the switch, he made a bold decision on Saturday night, and that was to return to his trusted TaylorMade Qi10 woods —the same set that had helped him win the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am just weeks earlier.
Only there was one slight problem.
McIlroy's Qi10 clubs were sitting at his home in South Florida, nearly 200 miles away from Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando.
With the final round looming and no time to waste, McIlroy turned to an unconventional solution - a nearly $1,000 Uber ride to deliver them to him overnight.
McIlroy's putting coach and eight-time PGA Tour winner Brad Faxon shared the news while appearing on Sky Sports Golf's third round coverage of The Players Championship on Saturday.
Faxon confirmed the lengths McIlroy went to in order to feel comfortable heading into Sunday’s round at famed Bay Hill.
"He had them [Qi10 woods] Ubered from his house on Saturday night, which is pretty incredible," revealed Faxon.
Related:
The last-minute move was a clear sign of McIlroy’s commitment to playing with what feels right.
But it didn’t come cheap.
When asked about the cost of the delivery, McIlroy laughed it off.
"No idea. Not my department." he said.
Luckily, his longtime manager, Sean O’Flaherty, had the answer, according to Golfweek.
The clubs cost McIlroy $665 for the ride.
McIlroy then gave a generous $330 tip for the driver.
It all came to a $995 total.
Then again, pocket change given Rory McIlroy's net worth.
By 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, the clubs had arrived and were safely back in McIlroy’s bag just in time for Sunday’s final round.
Related:
Despite the switch, McIlroy was unable to mount the comeback he had hoped for, posting an even-par 72 and finishing tied for 15th.
While it wasn’t the dramatic turnaround he might have envisioned, the experience reinforced an essential truth in golf: when it comes to competing at the highest level, trust in your equipment is everything.
McIlroy later explained his reasoning for the switch ahead of The Players Championship earlier this week.
"I’m going back to what I’m comfortable with," said McIlroy, confirming he would stick with his preferred clubs through The Masters from 10-13 April.
"I tried new woods for the first three days, but it didn’t quite work out the way I wanted. So, yeah, I went back to my old stuff today."
McIlroy is bidding to complete the career grand slam at The Masters.
He is currently priced up at odds of 8/1 second favourite to slip on the famous Green Jacket next month.
World No.1 Scottie Scheffler is 4/1 favourite to defend The Masters.
McIlroy is four shots off the pace heading into the final round of The Players tonight.
Keep up to speed with live scores here
Andy first joined the brand on a month's work experience back in April 2011, and he now assumes the Editor role. When Andy joined GolfMagic it was a small site with potential.
