Five years ago, Rory McIlory and TaylorMade Golf announced a long-term contract agreement for McIlroy to use the company’s bag, golf clubs and golf ball. Before the agreement was signed in May 2017, the 28-year-old McIlroy was an equipment free agent after his previous sponsor, Nike Golf, exited the hard goods business the previous year. After much speculation about where McIlroy would land, the four-time major winner chose to lock in a multi-year deal with TaylorMade after extensive equipment testing.

McIlroy said in 2017 that the lower spin of the TaylorMade TP5x golf ball was a catalyst for the deal.

"I always had it in my head that the more spin I could get with a golf ball, the better," McIlroy said in 2017. "But obviously that was working against me. I didn't have anything in my head at that time, just sort of wanting to find the best equipment. So we got on the Trackman and I started hitting this TP5x golf ball and I was like, 'Oh my goodness.' It's always windy down here and I could just see from the flight that the ball was going through the wind and doing exactly what I wanted it to do. At that point I sort of felt like I probably should have given that ball more thought when I started testing new stuff at the beginning of the year."

This week, five years after their original agreement, McIlroy and TaylorMade announced they have officially extended their equipment deal, although exact terms were not disclosed. The timing was perfect, as McIlroy is the defending champion of this week’s Wells Fargo Championship, his first start since his runner-up finish at the Masters.

McIlroy has won seven PGA TOUR events, including the 2019 PLAYERS Championship and FedExCup, since signing with TaylorMade. His career now totals 20 PGA TOUR victories, four major championships, and two FedExCups.

“Over the last several years I have had the chance to work with the best equipment company in golf,” McIlroy said in a press release. “Today I am excited to announce TaylorMade clubs and ball will be staying in my bag for many years to come. A combination of the dedicated people and unmatched performance is what drove me to remain a part of Team TaylorMade.”

McIlroy’s news comes just a few months after TaylorMade announced that it signed Scottie Scheffler to an equipment deal. Of course, Scheffler has since climbed to world No. 1 and has captured four PGA TOUR titles since, including the Masters.

TaylorMade now has four of the top 10 players in the world on its staff: Scheffler (No. 1), Collin Morikawa (3), McIlroy (7) and Dustin Johnson (10). Other notable staffers include Sergio Garcia, Tommy Fleetwood, Matthew Wolff and Tiger Woods.

“Rory is undeniably one of the most captivating players in our game and truly one of the great human beings in the sports world,” said David Abeles, TaylorMade Golf CEO and President, in a press release. “We have been fortunate to et a first-hand look at Rory’s approach to his game and the championship mindset that helps fuel his success. Over the past five years, in partnership with Rory, our company has been able to advance product innovation and put the best possible equipment in his bag. Rory’s decision to continue to put his trust in our company has us inspired to push the limits of performance even further.”