Rory McIlroy In Limbo Over Which Putter To Use At $18m FedExCup Finale

Rory McIlroy admits he is considering another change with his putter going into the most lucrative week of the PGA Tour season. 

McIlroy will tee off in the penultimate group on Thursday in the Tour Championship at East Lake at seven-under by virtue of being third in the FedEx standings with leader Scottie Scheffler beginning at 10-under par at East Lake in Atlanta.

But McIlroy admitted he is still not happy with his putting after the final round of the BMW Championship, despite shooting 66 to end up fourth after using a Scotty Cameron Phantom X 5.5 for the second successive tournament having made a change at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis when he benched his TaylorMade Spider X.

Describing his change from the TaylorMade Spider to the Scotty Cameron Phantom X 5.5 last week, McIlroy said: "We have been on dates, we are still going OK."

But a permanent return to his ex could now be on the cards this week in Atlanta after the Northern Ireland pro amid to ongoing issues with the flat stick.

Reflecting on his last tournament, McIlroy said: "I played good tee to green. Missed a lot of chances. Sort of similar story to Memphis. I might dabble with the Spider again on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Tour Championship.

"I felt like I hit good putts. I holed some really good putts and I missed some short ones. I always felt like I was aiming too high and then I'd miss them low because I just couldn't commit to aiming it so far outside the hole."

But McIlroy insists he is more confident ahead of this week in Atlanta after winning the FedExCup three times previously at East Lake, including last year. He added: "Getting back on greens that I know pretty well and am pretty confident on, I'm looking forward to that."

McIlroy's putting has long been considered his Achilles heel as he ranks second on tour in Strokes Gained: Off the tee, third in Approach but 75th in Putting.

McIlroy got so desperate in Memphis earlier this month that his caddie Harry Diamond went to Edwin Watts Golf Shop to get the shafts altered on two putters as the golfer eschewed his TaylorMade Spider putter for a Scotty Cameron Phantom X 5.5 to “freshen it up.”

“It was zero testing process. It was go into the garage and see what I had and just pull a couple out and go have a few putts,” McIlroy admitted.