Rory McIlroy breaks down his first round with new driver at RBC Canadian Open

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CALEDON, Ont. — Following a highly publicized failed driver test at the PGA Championship three weeks ago, Rory McIlroy is working in a new driver this week at the RBC Canadian Open.

“It was my first outing with a new driver and I felt like that went pretty well,” he said after a lacklustre one-over 71 at TPC Toronto on Thursday. “I hit some drives that I liked and that I liked to see, so that was encouraging.”

McIlroy’s TaylorMade Qi10 failed USGA testing ahead of the season’s second major, the fallout from which, he explained on Wednesday, was a major reason he didn’t speak to media at Quail Hollow at any point during the championship.

This week in Caledon, Ont., he is debuting a TaylorMade Qi35 and, despite some encouraging results with his new driver, the five-time major champ couldn’t take advantage of soft conditions on a wet, soggy morning at Canada’s national open.

“Weather permitting, if it holds off, I’ll go hit some balls,” he said. “It’s hard with the driver, like with the one I had been playing with previously, when I missed with it, I was a little bit left. Then my miss with this one is a little bit right. It’s just trying to figure that out and manage it a little bit.”

The driver had been McIlroy’s greatest weapon throughout his entire career and it only has gotten better as the years have gone by. It is vital for the Northern Irishman’s chances this week — and, more importantly, next week at the U.S. Open — that he figures out how to get the most out of his new weapon.

“It’s a nice feeling to get up the middle of the fairway and fully release it and know it’s not going to go left on you,” he said. “Yeah, a little bit of practice this afternoon and get ready for tomorrow.”

McIlroy will begin his second round on Friday at 12:55 p.m. ET alongside young star Ludvig Aberg (-2) and the highly touted Luke Clanton (E), who is making his professional debut.