Justin Rose is turning heads at this week's Cadillac Championship, but not just for his play. The 45-year-old English golfer is debuting a new set of McLaren Golf clubs, becoming the Formula 1 team's first tour professional as they enter the golf equipment market.
Rose, who won at Torrey Pines in February and finished tied for third at the Masters after holding a two-stroke lead at Amen Corner, has been playing well with his previous mix of clubs. Yet he has chosen to partner with McLaren, a brand new player in the golf industry.
"It's something I've been involved with from the outset — helping the engineering team, really testing the very first editions of the club. I've been working with the project for well over a year," Rose said.
Rose's fans may recall his previous manufacturer switch to Honma in 2019. After an initial victory, he endured a four-year winless drought on the PGA Tour. He is mindful of the risks but believes this time is different.
"I'm looking to mitigate risk. I've done this once before and learned a lot from that process. I feel a bit better placed now to go down this path," he added.
Rose will primarily use McLaren irons, with game-improvement clubs for longer shots and blades for shorter ones. By not changing his driver, putter, or ball, he hopes to minimize disruption. Still, the move is a gamble as McLaren has no track record in golf manufacturing. All eyes will be on Rose's performance at Doral's Blue Monster Course this week.