The Hero World Challenge is sometimes chastised as “not a real event”. Don’t tell that to world No.1 Scottie Scheffler, the two-time defending champion who is using the competition as a proving ground for a new TaylorMade driver.
Early headlines at The Annika LPGA event were dominated by 18-year-old Kai Trump and WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark – to the point that Nelly Korda’s return to the course for her first start in six weeks became a secondary story. It’s not often that the 27-year-old is the understudy.
Scheffler’s tee-to-green game was impeccable as he ranked first in strokes gained/off the tee, third in driving accuracy, ninth in driving distance and second in strokes gained/approach.
TaylorMade’s Milled Grind 5 wedges are fully forged. It’s a first for the Milled Grind line, and a decision made directly in response to player feedback.
According to TaylorMade tour rep Adrian Rietveld, Scheffler wants “absolutely nothing inside” his driver’s clubhead that might alter performance in any way.
As Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Tommy Fleetwood start their pursuit of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, more under the radar is the fact that their endorsement cheques from one of the biggest equipment manufacturers on the planet might soon have a different signature on them.
In a new equipment series from Golf Digest, we tested the latest drivers from every major manufacturer on the Golf Laboratories swing robot to determine if they were noticeably better than their predecessors.
Unlike many competitors this week at Augusta National, Rory McIlroy’s equipment setup didn’t change for the 2025 Masters – with one appropriate exception.