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Justin Rose begins a new chapter at Doral, debuting McLaren Golf irons in a high-stakes equipment switch during a strong season.
Justin Rose will arrive at this week's Cadillac Championship with more scrutiny than most, not only because of his strong form, but because he is set to debut a new set of McLaren Golf irons in competitive play for the first time.
The 45-year-old Englishman has become McLaren's first tour professional as the Formula 1 giant makes an ambitious move into golf equipment. It is a striking partnership, and one Rose says has been more than a simple endorsement deal. He has spent more than a year working closely with McLaren's engineering team, testing early prototypes and helping shape the irons now heading into tournament action.
Rose said he had been involved from the outset, assisting with development and refining the clubs to suit his preferences, before finally launching the project this week.
The timing is bold. Rose has been playing some of his best golf in years, winning at Torrey Pines in February and contending strongly at Augusta, where he briefly held a two-shot lead after 64 holes before slipping back to finish tied third as Rory McIlroy retained the Masters title.
That made a switch in equipment unexpected. Without a manufacturer contract, Rose had the freedom to build his bag exactly as he liked, and the mixed set-up was producing results.
There is also history. His move to Honma in 2019 came when he was Olympic champion and recently world number one, but after an early win, his next PGA Tour title did not arrive for four years. Rose admitted that experience taught him lessons and said he was now approaching change with greater caution.
Importantly, this is not a complete overhaul. Rose is changing irons, likely blending forgiving long irons with traditional blades, while keeping the more critical driver, putter and ball set-up unchanged.
Still, golf has a habit of humbling even the best-laid plans. Range numbers can impress, prototypes can shine, but tournament pressure asks different questions. Rose believes the long-term outlook is sound. The short-term answer starts this week at Doral.
