While Rockstar Games has already shown off a couple of GTA 6 trailers so far, the full gameplay reveal is coming in the upcoming Extended Look showcase, debuting on Netflix soon. That said, there has been some controversy surrounding the “timed exclusivity” of this new footage, which will first air only on the popular video streaming subscription platform.
Here is all you need to know about why GTA 6 Extended Look is premiering on Netflix. Read on to know more.
What is the reason behind GTA 6’s Netflix Extended Look exclusivity?
Learn more about protagonists Lucia (pictured) and Jason, as well as the narrative and gameplay aspects of GTA 6 in this upcoming deep dive (Image via Rockstar Games)
GTA 6 Extended Look launches first on Netflix on August 27, 2026, followed by a global upload on other streaming and video platforms like YouTube six hours later. While this means that the footage is not paywalled by any means, it is quite evident that those without a Netflix subscription will have to wait several hours before they can check it out on other free platforms.
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So why did Rockstar Games take this step to begin with? Brandon Riegg, VP of Netflix’s Nonfiction Series department, has said that this new collaboration aims to expose GTA 6 to as huge an audience as possible, even those outside of the gaming sphere.
In a recent announcement, he said that he believes that GTA reveals have become a cultural phenomenon in their own right and, as such, deserve the most exposure to showcase their ambitious nature to the world. He reiterates the same via the following statement:
“It’s a reflection of what we hope Netflix is becoming: a place where the most ambitious storytelling, from any medium, can find the biggest possible audience.”
Currently, Netflix boasts over 300 million paid users, so this move will no doubt push non-subscribers to get a sub to watch debut gameplay for the most hotly anticipated game of the decade, since many will likely not want to wait till it’s out on YouTube. On the flip side, it might make even non-gamer Netflix users interested in GTA 6 by exposing them to something they normally would be uninterested in.
Crowd favorites Alex Eala (left) and Felix Auger-Aliassime discuss strategy before the start of a point. —PHOTO BY KEATS LONDON
Alex Eala was looking forward to playing as many doubles matches with Felix Auger-Aliassime in the US Open.
“The US Open is a very electric place to play doubles, and I think mixed doubles especially, with the lineups that there are, is going to be very interesting and a really great opportunity for me,” the 21-year-old Filipino superstar said.
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She got the atmosphere, alright. But she’ll have to wait a bit longer until the singles event before experiencing that again.
The husband-and-wife duo of Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils defeated Eala and Auger-Aliassime, 4-1, 4-1, late Tuesday evening (Manila time) in the first round of the mixed doubles event at the Flushing Meadows’ Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York.
Monfils and Svitolina needed just 15 minutes to pull ahead by a set before Eala and Auger-Aliassime, fueled by the loud support coming from a predominantly pro-Filipino crowd, showed a lot of fight early in the second set.
But Monfils, who is playing in his final US Open before he retires at the end of the season, and Svitolina pulled away to ice the victory.
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The Filipino-Canadian duo was just among the big pairs that crashed out, which included women’s world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic. Men’s star Carlos Alcaraz, who teamed up with Serena Williams, also crashed out.
The early exit now leaves Eala and Auger-Aliassime to focus on the singles event that kicks off over the weekend. And almost everyone expects the “Eala Effect” to pack the courts.
Former US Davis Cup team captain and current tennis broadcaster Patrick McEnroe urged the United States Tennis Association to make sure Eala gets to play at the Flushing Meadows’ biggest courts if only to capitalize on her ability to draw crowds—mostly from Filipino communities—to her matches.
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“The USTA better make sure they put her on big courts,” he told ESPN. “In New York, I think the crowd is going to be wild for her. It’s going to be a great story. Better make sure they don’t put her on one of those side courts early in the tournament.”
The Australian Open, the other hardcourt Grand Slam, came under some fire earlier in the year after failing to recognize Eala’s popularity and slotting her opening match against Alycia Parks on a smaller court.
Queens has a strong Filipino community, and part of it, particularly Woodside, which is about five kilometers away from the Flushing Meadows, is known as Little Manila. Aside from being home to many immigrants from the Philippines, Woodside also has numerous Filipino businesses such as restaurants and commercial centers.
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“Filipinos come from everywhere, not just the Flushing, New York area,” Keats London, a Filipino photographer based in New Jersey, told the Inquirer. London has been covering Eala’s New York matches ever since the world No. 18 began competing at the US Open.
“Last year, I spoke to an OFW who came all the way from Hong Kong. She spent her hard-earned money to fly to New York and watch Alex play. She did not regret having spent the money even though Alex lost her match that day,” recounted London, who brought his daughter Eula to the Flushing Meadows to enjoy “Fan Week” at the Open.
“I look forward to this event every year,” he added. “I find that the Filipinos that I talked to are very receptive and quite proud seeing a pure, Philippine-born and raised athlete like Alex rise to the occasion, particularly with Alex starting from the junior girls [division] and even winning the junior girls crown a few years ago.”
—INQUIRER SPORTS DESK INQ
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Teofimo Lopez became a three-division world champion when he overcame Rolando Romero last weekend to capture the WBA welterweight title, and well-regarded trainer, commentator and fight analyst Teddy Atlas has publicly declared his disapproval of the scoring in the contest.
Romero had not fought since winning the vacant belt against Ryan Garcia last May and thus stepped through the ropes off the back of 15 months of inactivity when tasked with Lopez in Las Vegas.
That ring rust may have proved decisive on the night, as Lopez claimed a majority-decision victory to become a world champion in a third weight class. Although most observers felt Lopez deserved a comfortable unanimous decision, Romero surprisingly believed he had done enough to retain his title.
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On his YouTube channel, The Fight with Teddy Atlas, the former Mike Tyson coach dismissed any suggestion that Romero deserved the win, instead praising judge Tim Cheatham, who scored the bout 116-112 in favour of the challenger.
“When I think that something is wrong, I call it out, even to my detriment on my own network I say, ‘we did this wrong, we didn’t put a good fight on, we overhyped this guy or this judge was terrible,’.
“I have often gone after Tim Cheatham, I have gone after him many times and, I think, rightfully so – and this time I am going to applaud him, I am going to lift him up, he got it right. He is my new idol!”
Continuing, Atlas then went on to declare that, if he were in charge, he would be having a stern word with judge Glenn Feldman, whose scorecard read as a 114-114 draw, believing that Feldman should have his licence taken away.
“I would call him [Feldman] in on Monday morning and say, ‘come into my office, we are going to watch the fight and you are going to explain [how this fight was a draw] to me, before I take your licence away, before I sit you down, before I suspend you,’.
“If you drive bad, if you crash your car, your licence gets taken away.”
The NFL is planning to eliminate the annual all-star game but still plans to honour players with a Pro Bowl designation, according to Jonathan Jones of The Athletic.
According to Jones, NFL executives presented the new plan to team owners on Wednesday. Eighty-eight players will be selected for Pro Bowl honours at the end of the season, with no alternates. Instead of a game, the selected players will be honoured during an event during Super Bowl week.
Jones added that a player survey contributed to the decision.
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“All-star games, I think, for all leagues have been fraught for a long time, and they haven’t necessarily represented the very best premium of that sport for those players,” Peter O’Reilly, NFL executive vice president of club business, international and league events, told The Athletic. “I think all leagues have struggled with that. We made the switch four years ago from the ‘tackle’ Pro Bowl to the flag game, and that was more strategic for us. In many ways, we saw a decrease in the replacement players.
“But ultimately, the Pro Bowl, at its core, is about honouring the best of the best in that season, on the field, in real games. And the shift here is about shifting the focus from the game — which is ultimately where people’s attention goes, especially the replacement players tied to it — to the honour.”
The Pro Bowl has existed in different forms since 1951.
As it relates to the NFL’s veteran pass rushers, the Vikings could fast be approaching a speak now or forever hold your peace moment.
Consider the update that arrives courtesy of national NFL insider Jordan Schultz: “Sources: 2x Pro Bowl OLB Haason Reddick has become the latest veteran pass-rusher drawing interest from teams after recent signings, including Von Miller to Dallas, Za’Darius Smith to Atlanta, and Derek Barnett to Cleveland. The 31-year-old Reddick has 61.5 career sacks and spent last season in Tampa Bay.”
Veteran Pass Rushers are Flying Off the Shelves
Teams can survive with a pair of imposing pass rushers. The Vikings are sitting in this position due to the ongoing employment of Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner, both of whom are ready for major workloads in 2026. Dropping down to a single option is when things get dicey.
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In an ideal world, the Minnesota Vikings will boast at least three imposing edge rushers. Think back to those prime Mike Zimmer days when all of Everson Griffen, Brian Robison, and Danielle Hunter were creating a ruckus at the line of scrimmage.
Conversely, think to the 2023 season when Hunter was the last man standing for imposing pass rushers since Marcus Davenport succumbed to injury. Hunter feasted and D.J. Wonnum did his best, but the Vikings were at least a single pass rusher short.
Jul 29, 2025; Eagan, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel (43), linebacker Dallas Turner (15) and linebacker Jonathan Greenard (58) talk during the teams training camp at the Minnesota Vikings Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
In a general sense, the assassins for hire can be scooped up for roughly $5 or $6 million. In the NFL marketplace, the $5M range is middle class territory. Going for a lower-end option means paying a lower-end price, but Haason Reddick wouldn’t be among those players. He’d likely find himself above the Ogbah/Davenport range but below the Miller/Clowney/Smith range.
At his best, Haason Reddick was a second-team All Pro and a fourth-place finisher in the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year voting. He earned those distinctions in 2022 when he played for the Eagles by piling up 16 sacks, 26 quarterback hits, and 11 tackles for loss onto the stat sheet. Oh, and then there were his 5 forced fumbles, an elite total.
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Since then, Reddick hasn’t been so formidable. In Tampa Bay in 2025, Mr. Reddick had just 2.5 sacks within his thirteen games. He also had 6 quarterback hits and 6 tackles for loss. Minnesota’s great task involves assessing whether he’s cooked or whether there’s still some gas left in the tank.
Last season, Reddick commanded close to $13.5 million, a number he won’t be seeing in 2026.
Oct 1, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick (7) is blocked by Washington Commanders guard Andrew Wylie (71) at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
As things stand, the Vikings appear happy to lean on off-ball linebacker Eric Wilson to be the EDGE3. At training camp last week, Wilson told me that his experience playing along the edge goes back to high school. The veteran feels confident in his ability to keep doing so for the Vikings’ defense again in 2026.
Otherwise, the names to know are Ty Ingram-Dawkins, Jake Golday, and then the cluster of UDFA depth guys (Bo Richer, Tyler Batty, Chaz Chambliss, Cam’Ron Stewart).
Reddick stands at 6’1″ and weighs 240 pounds, meaning he’s pretty small for the position. The pass rusher was chosen at No. 13 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft and has since played for the Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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Before long, a team is going to bite, signing Reddick with the hope of seeing him drink from the fountain of youth as he sends passers into orbit.
The 2026 KPMG Women’s Irish Open gets underway on Thursday morning at The K Club’s Palmer South Course in Co Kildare.
The K Club will be hosting the tournament for the first time, but the Palmer South Course, which was previously known as the Smurfit Course, hosted the European Open three times at the start of the century.
More than 120 players from over 30 nations will compete on this Ladies European Tour (LET) event which runs until Sunday.
As in previous years, Cavan’s Leona Maguire will spearhead the home challenge, which this time will consist of 16 Irish players – the highest in the tournament’s recent history.
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Maguire will be strongly backed up by the likes of Áine Donegan, Anna Foster, Beth Coulter and Lauren Walsh, as they all bid to become the first Irish winners of the KPMG Women’s Irish Open.
Commenting on the strength and depth of the 2026 field, Ryan McCarthy, Managing Partner, KPMG in Ireland, said:
“The strength and international depth of this year’s field is a reflection of how far the KPMG Women’s Irish Open has come in a relatively short period of time. As proud sponsors of ambition, we are delighted to see some of the world’s best players competing alongside emerging talent and a record contingent of 16 Irish golfers. The championship continues to provide an important platform to inspire the next generation, showcase Ireland on the global stage, and celebrate the continued growth of women’s golf. We look forward to welcoming players, fans and families to The K Club for what promises to be another exceptional week.”
The international contingent will be lead by Shannon Tan from Singapore, winner of last season’s Order of Merit. Winners from the current LET season such as Noora Komulainen, Leonie Harm, Smilla Tarning Soenderby, Esme Hamilton, Agathe Laisne and Kelsey Bennett are all in the starting field.
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Tournament Details
The 2026 KPMG Women’s Irish Open will tee off on Thursday morning at 7.45am.
Tickets cost €25 on both Thursday and Friday, and €30 on both Saturday and Sunday.
A weekend pass, which overs both Saturday and Sunday, is available for €50, while a Week Pass, which allows entry to the four days of the tournament, can be purchased for €90.
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Children under 16 are free on all days of the tournament.
The Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) is set to earn $7.5 million (about ₦10.5 billion) from a new three-year sponsorship deal with Euromatch Group.
NPFL Chairman Gbenga Elegbeleye announced the deal in Abuja during the unveiling of Euromatch as the league’s new sponsor.
Elegbeleye said the partnership is worth $2.5 million per season, bringing the total value to $7.5 million over three years.
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He said the deal shows the progress made by the NPFL in recent years, adding that the league has moved beyond the challenge of getting fans into stadiums.
According to him, the focus is now on managing the growing number of supporters attending NPFL matches and improving their match-day experience.
Presidential Special Adviser on Communication, Sunday Dare, welcomed the deal, saying efforts to improve Nigerian football over the years are beginning to produce positive results.
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Group Chairman of Euromatch Group, Sacli Semih, praised the talent available in Nigeria and promised that the company would work to increase the visibility and commercial value of the NPFL.
NFF President Ibrahim Gusau also commended Euromatch for investing in the Nigerian league. He urged the NPFL to create a strategy that would encourage former Nigerian internationals to attend league matches regularly and support the development of domestic football.
The unveiling ceremony was attended by several football stakeholders, including former Super Eagles stars Austin Eguavoen, Daniel Amokachi, Samson Siasia, Brown Ideye and Davidson Owumi.
Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lanre Onilu, was also present at the event.
Ryan Garcia has revealed which welterweight legend he would back to come out on top against all others.
Garcia is now a welterweight star in his own right, after winning the WBC welterweight title back in February with a unanimous decision victory over Mario Barrios.
He is set to make the first defence of that title on September 12 when he takes on Conor Benn at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with a victory there potentially leading to unification clashes with the likes of Teofimo Lopez, Liam Paro and former foe Devin Haney.
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Before Garcia collides with Benn, he was recently tasked with pitting together some past welterweight icons in fantasy match-ups against one another whilst speaking to Daily Mail Boxing.
Manny Pacquiao, Roberto Duran, Errol Spence Jr, Pernell Whittaker, Tommy Hearns, Terence Crawford, Floyd Mayweather, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Sugar Ray Robinson were all of the fighters mentioned, and in the end it was Leonard that Garcia had as the last man standing.
Leonard is viewed as being one of the greatest boxers of all time, and it wasn’t just welterweight where he was successful, having become a five-division world champion after also reigning from light middleweight to light heavyweight.
He was a member of the iconic ‘Four Kings’ with fellow greats Duran, Hearns and Marvin Hagler, with Leonard acting as the only member of that illustrious group to defeat the others.
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Leonard’s final record stood at 36 wins from his 40 professional fights, with 25 of those victories coming by knockout.
The Undisputed WWE Championship picture has become far more complicated than it already was. CM Punk entered SummerSlam as champion. Meanwhile, Kevin Owens returned from a potentially career-ending injury and won the Fatal 4-Way No. 1 Contender’s Match involving Sami Zayn, Gunther, and Finn Balor.
Owens then challenged Punk in Toronto. However, the rivalry took an unexpected turn when Zayn inserted himself into their title match. He attacked the champion and attempted to help KO win the championship. The challenger refused to use the title as a weapon, prompting Sami to blast his former friend with the gold.
Thanks for the submission!
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The Second City Saint subsequently defeated Kevin Owens before Sami Zayn attacked both men and made it clear that he believed CM Punk had stolen the championship from him. WWE has therefore created a three-way story in which all three superstars have legitimate reasons to fight.
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That said, in this article, we look at four possible ways the Punk-Owens-Zayn triangle could eventually end.
#4. CM Punk vs. Sami Zayn
The simplest conclusion would be a singles feud between CM Punk and Sami Zayn. Zayn has already established that his issue with Punk is deeply personal, particularly after claiming that The Best in the World took away something that belonged to him.
CM Punk could respond by refusing to let Zayn dictate the direction of his title reign. That would give WWE a straightforward championship program while allowing Kevin Owens to move elsewhere temporarily.
The feud could also give Sami an opportunity to prove that his recent aggression was not a temporary emotional outburst. A Punk-Zayn program would also have plenty of emotional material. Both men are excellent talkers. Thus, their contrasting personalities could make their confrontations compelling.
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#3. Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn have one of WWE’s most established personal histories. So their friendship turning into another bitter rivalry would be easy to understand.
Owens already had reason to be furious after Zayn cost him the championship in Toronto. More importantly, KO initially refused to use the title as a weapon against CM Punk, only for Sami to attack him anyway. That moment could convince Kevin that Sami has crossed a line.
WWE could build toward a singles match where the championship is not involved at all. Instead, the story would focus on pride, betrayal, and their complicated history.
This option could also protect Punk from being overexposed. While Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn settle their differences, The Second City Saint could defend the Undisputed Championship against another challenger before eventually returning to the triangle.
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#2. Triple Threat Match
The most obvious destination is a Triple Threat Match for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
CM Punk has already beaten Kevin Owens. However, the victory was influenced by Sami Zayn’s interference. Owens can therefore argue that he deserves another opportunity without simply demanding the same singles rematch. Meanwhile, Zayn can claim that his actions prove he belongs in the title picture.
If that happens, WWE could turn those arguments into a championship match. Punk would be caught between two challengers who know him differently. Meanwhile, Owens and Zayn would have their own unfinished business.
A Triple Threat would also allow Triple H to continue all three stories simultaneously. CM Punk could retain by defeating one challenger. Meanwhile, the other would avoid taking a direct loss. Alternatively, either Owens or Zayn could win the championship without requiring Punk to lose credibility.
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#1. Punk and Owens temporarily unite against Sami
The most intriguing ending may involve CM Punk and Kevin Owens putting their differences aside long enough to deal with Sami Zayn.
That alliance would be interesting because Owens and Punk have already shown that they are capable of intense hostility. Their recent title match was physical and personal. Yet Sami’s attack gave both men a common enemy.
The Second City Saint and Kevin Owens could agree that Zayn has become too dangerous to ignore. They might temporarily work together in a tag team match or even combine forces against him in a confrontation.
However, the alliance should not last forever. Once Sami Zayn is dealt with, Punk and Owens could immediately return to their rivalry, creating another chapter in their championship feud.
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This route could give all three superstars something meaningful. Zayn would become the antagonist who temporarily brings two rivals together, Owens would gain another reason to pursue Punk, and the champion would remain at the center of the story.
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Minnesota Vikings cornerback Mekhi Blackmon celebrates after intercepting a pass against New Orleans during fourth-quarter action at U.S. Bank Stadium, giving the defense a timely takeaway. On Nov. 12, 2023, the rookie helped Minnesota protect its lead and finish off the Saints during a home victory in Minneapolis that afternoon. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.
Once upon a time, Vikings corner Mekhi Blackmon was considered an intriguing young building block. He then got shipped out with a trade, ending his Vikings journey prematurely. The 2023 3rd-Round selection played his rookie season in Minnesota before losing his sophomore season to injury. He never got a shot at playing in a third season for the Vikings.
The Colts snagged him for a 6th. The Colts are now moving on by waiving him. Consider the update to arrive from Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team: “The #Colts have waived CB Mekhi Blackmon, a former 3rd-round pick of the #Vikings who they traded for last year. He appeared in all 17 games for Indianapolis last season, starting 11, and recorded 2 INTs, 64 tackles, and 7 pass breakups.”
Traded Vikings Corner Mekhi Blackmon Gets Sent Packing
Opting to set Mr. Blackmon free by waiving him is an odd decision.
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For starters, the Colts are a team that’s looking to contend in 2026. A major part of the reason why Indianapolis is such a formidable team is due to the presence of the top corners: CB1 Sauce Gardner and CB2 Charvarius Ward. Both of those guys are matchup players who make life difficult for the other team’s top receivers.
Keep in mind, as well, that former Vikings safety Camryn Bynum is playing good ball down in the AFC South.
Nov 12, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings cornerback Mekhi Blackmon (5) celebrates his interception with his team against the New Orleans Saints in the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
But why the decision to move on from Mekhi Blackmon?
Last year, Blackmon got into seventeen games, starting eleven. He tossed 64 tackles onto the stat sheet to stand alongside 2 interceptions, 7 passes defended, and 2 tackles for loss. PFF gave him a tepid grade, assigning a 51.2 grade.
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Part of his problem is that he’s built like a slot corner who doesn’t play in the slot. Many DCs won’t like working with a corner who is 5’11” and 178 pounds who plays the majority of his snaps out wide. Last year, Blackmon earned 629 snaps as a wide corner but only 69 kicked inside. Is that part of the reason for the Colts moving on?
Over on the Colts’ website, there’s some coverage of the news alongside some basic commentary. Showing one corner the door allowed the Colts to say hello to somebody else.
The initial comments: “The Indianapolis Colts today signed free agent cornerback Kenneth Harris and waived cornerback Mekhi Blackmon. Harris, 6-0, 192 pounds, participated in the New England Patriots’ 2026 offseason program and training camp. He was originally signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent on May 8, 2026”
Presumably, the Colts shopped around for a trade taker but didn’t find anybody willing to take the plunge. Making room for the undrafted corner to come to town meant moving on from Blackmon.
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Minnesota Vikings cornerback Mekhi Blackmon (5) breaks up a pass intended for Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (9) during the divisional clash at Lambeau Field on October 29, 2023, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The rookie defensive back showcased his coverage skills in a key NFC North matchup. Mandatory Credit: Tork Mason-USA TODAY Sports.
Earlier in the week, the Vikings made some corner news by moving on from Dwight McGlothern. Doing so came after “Nudie” had been kept around for a pair of seasons on the 53-man roster. He’ll now be looking to get his career’s second chapter going somewhere else.
Best guess is that all of Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, James Pierre, and Chuck Demmings get onto the final team. Will that be enough of a corner cluster to get the job done? The other in-house options are seemingly being led by Zemaiah Vaughn, a tall corner who has been praised for packing on muscle.
Mekhi Blackmon is 27. Expect him to land on his feet somewhere.
Rory McIlroy has a driver he likes and he’s looking forward to playing it for the foreseeable future.
And why is this significant? Glad you asked.
In May, McIlroy’s equipment sponsor, TaylorMade, announced it was moving to a two-year product cycle for its metal woods starting with the Qi4D family released last January. With the move, TaylorMade became the fourth of the six largest OEMs in the sport to move its metalwoods to a two-year product cycle, joining Ping, Srixon and Titleist. As of now, Callaway and Cobra have yet to share any intentions of moving off a yearly release cadence for their drivers.
“I think being able to use the same driver for say like an 18-month period I think just gives guys a little bit more of a level of comfort,” McIlroy said Tuesday at the Tour Championship.
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McIlroy, who said the move was a popular one among TaylorMade staffers, has a bit of a unique perspective on the situation given his struggles in recent years to move into new drivers. This season, with the Qi4D driver he switched into during its first week of availability in November, McIlroy is again among the top drivers on the PGA Tour, ranking second in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee. (That’s despite, at times, complaining about his driver swing.)
He is averaging a career-high 330 yards in distance and his accuracy is more than three points higher than in 2024.
SHAPED FOR SPEED The re-engineered head profile increases ball speed thanks to improved aerodynamics developed through advanced simulations. FACE FOR DISTANCE 60x Carbon Twist Face™ is a technological cornerstone that provides weight savings, incredible ball speed and more consistency vs. a titanium face. ADJUSTABLE PERFORMANCE 4° loft sleeve can be used to adjust loft, lie and face angle for optimized flight. TOUR PROVEN TECHNOLOGIES New and improved cut-through Speed Pocket™ protects ball speed and reduces spin on low-face strikes. Advanced CAD modeling creates a design with a clean and powerful sound, a foundation of TaylorMade driver performance. Multi-Material Construction allows engineers to strategically place mass in areas of the head where it maximizes performance, speed, and stability.
With TaylorMade not releasing a driver in 2027, Scheffler and McIlroy will head into the offseason knowing they won’t even have to consider finding a new driver. Pros are never forced to switch to a new driver, but they usually will see some performance gain from year to year that motivates them.
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However, they won’t make a move at the expense of comfort, and the longer they use a driver, the more comfortable they get.
“You think about you really like a driver you’re playing, and then something else is put in your hand say in October, November time, so nine or 10 months after you get your driver — all the manufacturers do a great job of fitting you into what is the best product for you, but they’re all slightly different,” McIlroy explained. “Thankfully I found a really good one that I like at the minute, but we call them snowflakes. Like one Qi4D with the same head, the same loft, same weighting. I’m on the exact same, to me sometimes just doesn’t feel quite the same. It could be me, it could be a mental thing that I have.”
McIlroy also pointed out that pros are often only able to use a driver for 18 months before it wears out and potentially becomes non-conforming. He and Scheffler both had their Qi10s fail USGA conformance tests at the PGA Championship last season and had to use backups.
“The heads go. I’ve obviously fallen foul of that at the PGA last year, Scottie as well,” he said. “You really can only play a driver for a year to a year and a half before you’ve got to switch it out anyway.”
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Now with the two-year product cycle, McIlroy will just be starting the fitting process for a new driver by the time his gamer starts getting close to worn out.
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