Thanks in part to a dramatic 26-foot birdie putt on the 72nd to cap a Sunday 63, Michael Thorbjornsen is now a winner on the PGA Tour, taking the Rocket Classic by two shots.
It marks yet another win for TaylorMade’s Spider line of mallet putters — and TaylorMade overall as the former Stanford standout plays a full bag of TM gear. Thorbjornsen stroked the final putt with a Spider Tour X double bend, a putter he switched to earlier this season after beginning his PGA Tour career with a Spider Tour Short Slant.
“You can see how structured his practice is now; the drills, the process,” TaylorMade Tour Rep Adrian Rietveld told GOLF earlier this season during a deep dive of Thorbjornsen’s setup. “He’s gone from a talented putter to more of a student of the game.”
Putter wasn’t the only major change Thorbjornsen made this season. This spring, he moved from a full set of TaylorMade P7MC irons with a P770 3-iron to more of a combo set with TaylorMade P7MBs replacing the 5-PW.
Thorbjornsen ranked first in greens in regulation this week, missing just nine at Detroit Golf Club, and picked up +3.668 shots on the field on approach.
He also switched golf balls last season, moving to the softer and spinnier TP5 golf ball, following the move of now-back-to-back Masters winner Rory McIlroy.
“The main reason for that is to start to learn how to hit these off-speed shots,” Rietveld said. “I thought that’s actually a better golf ball for him through the bag. And he should be able to incorporate more of these off-speed shots and should be able to incorporate a wedge game that’s required for a top-10 player in the world.”
In his short time on Tour, Thorbjornsen’s bag has morphed into the prototypical setup for the modern bomber player, complete with a backweighted “LS” driver and a mini driver as a secondary option off the tee. Thorbjornsen plays the TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini Driver instead of a 3-wood.
“Being a 180-plus ball speed guy, the mini driver is kind of a safety for that,” Rietveld said. “When he doesn’t feel comfortable with driver, it becomes almost like a 300-yard club to get him in play and keep him in the tournament.”
For more on Thorbjornsen’s detailed setup, keep reading below.
Michael Thorbjornsen’s winning WITB at the 2026 Rocket Classic
TaylorMade
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D LS 9.0
Actual Loft: 9.75°
FCT Setting: 1 click higher (1˚ degree sleeve)
TAS Weights: 3g front, 8g Back
Lie: 58.5°
Face: W/ Fiducials
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black Velo+ 7X
Length: 45.25″ EOG
Tipping: 1″
Swingweight: D4
SHAPED FOR SPEED
Traditional address shape based on feedback from world-class players helps create confidence on every shot.
Qi4D LS is the lowest spinning option in the Qi4D lineup.
FACE FOR DISTANCE
Qi4D LS drivers feature a new and improved roll radius, yielding more consistent spin across vertical impact locations.
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.
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ALSO AVAILABLE AT: PGA TOUR Superstore, TaylorMade
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Jack Hirsh/GOLF
Specs
TaylorMade R7 Quad Mini 13.5˚
Actual Loft: 13.5˚
FCT Sleeve setting: Standard (1.5˚ sleeve)
Front Weights: 5g Toe, 7g Heel
Back Weights: 10g Toe, 10g, Heel
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8-X
Length: 44″ CUT
Tipping: 1.5″
Swingweight: D4.5
PERFORMANCE FOR THE MODERN PLAYER
Inspired by one of the most iconic models in TaylorMade history, the R7 Quad Mini Driver pays homage to what’s come before, while creating its own modern identity in the same breath. It’s that very modern design that incorporates proven TaylorMade technologies to give golfers versatility and playability.
R7 QUAD WEIGHTING SYSTEM
The new quad weighting system features four movable weights (13g x2, 4g x2) that provide the ultimate in spin management and shot shape control. Forward CG creates a penetrating flight best suited for maximizing distance whereas rear CG helps prioritize control and ease of use from the deck. Shot shape can also be fine-tuned helping create the most optimal flight. Additional weights can be purchased for a wider range of adjustability.
INFINITY CARBON CROWN
A new satin Infinity Carbon Crown has been added to the R7 Quad Mini Driver chassis creating a stunning look while saving weight for better mass optimization. The cosmetic package is clean, elegant, and confidence-inspiring.
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Jack Hirsh/GOLf
Irons: TaylorMade P770 (3), P7MC (4), P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 (3), X100 (4-PW)
Lofts: 21/24/28/32/36/40/44/48
Lies: 60/60.5/61/61.75/62.75/63/63.5/64
Length: 1 1/4″ long (38 1/4″ 7-iron)
TOUR-INSPIRED SHAPING
Direct input from Tour inspired the new shape of P•7MB, crafted for ultimate workability. The new design uses a shorter blade length, narrower sole width, and progressive offset design.
FACETED MUSCLE BACK GEOMETRY
A seamless blend of traditional muscle back iron performance with a contemporary look and design. The updated back bar now uses symmetrical geometry to create a timeless look both in the playing position and in the bag.
COMPACT GRAIN FORGING
1025 carbon steel is 5X forged using a 2,000-ton press engineered to produce a tighter, more compact grain structure with fewer defects. It is designed to provide the most solid, consistent feel possible.
MACHINED FACE & GROOVES
Precision is paramount. Machining the face ensures precision and quality with our mostaggressive MX9 score line geometry for exacting shot making.
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Jack Hirsh/GOLF
Wedges: TaylorMade MG5
Lofts/Grinds: 52-SB, 56-SB, 60-TW
Shafts: KBS Tour V 120 X
Lie: 63.5˚
Length: 36 5/8″, 36 5/8″, 36 1/4″
FORGED FEEL
Incredible feel is a must for having a great wedge game. MG5 has been forged from soft carbon steel and designed with geometry to provide excellent feel with great feedback.
MAXIMUM SPIN
MG5 uses all-new, more aggressive grooves designed to maximize spin. Saw-milled grooves produce tighter tolerances allowing engineers to design steeper walls and sharper radii intended to maximize spin in both dry and damp conditions.
PERFORMANCE IN ALL CONDITIONS
RAW face with Spin Tread technology channels away moisture to help retain spin. The same way that tire treads help your car stay connected to the road, laser-etched channels redirect water at impact and creates more friction between the club face and golf ball to maintain spin in wet conditions.
CRAFTSMANSHIP MEETS CONSISTENCY
Crafted by hand and then milled to perfection. Each wedge and sole grind are precision-milled to eliminate the natural human error that comes with hand polishing. Our grinds deliver unmatched consistency and craftsmanship that players can count on every time.
CHARCOAL FINISH
MG5 debuts a sleek, sophisticated charcoal finish that reduces glare and enhances its aesthetic appeal in the bag.
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TaylorMade
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X Black
Loft: 2˚
Lie: 72˚
Length: 35.5″
Hosel: Double Bend
Alignment aid: True Path Mid Line
Insert: 80/20 Pure Roll
Headweight: 534g
Swingweight: E5
Grip: TaylorMade Pistol
TORCHED PVD FINISH
The durable PVD coating creates a beautiful high-quality finish.
THIN WALL UNDERCUT CONSTRUCTION
We’ve engineered a super stable structure by removing excess weight to create high MOI and legendary Spider performance.
CG LOCATION PROGRESSION
Each Spider Torched model features different CG locations for optimal putter fitting.
HYBRAR ECHO® DAMPENER
HYBRAR is behind the face to dampen unwanted vibrations, delivering premium sound and feel on every putt with the best possible sensation.
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Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Jack Hirsh/GOLF
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MCC Swing Grip The MCC (New Decade MultiCompound) is an innovative hybrid grip that fuses the positive performance of rubber and cord. The MCC boasts the Golf Pride® exclusive Brushed Cotton Cord in the upper hand area for firm all-weather control, and a performance rubber material in the lower hand for ultimate feel and responsiveness. LARGER LOWER HAND The larger outside diameter simulates the feel of building up the grip with four extra wraps. This reduced taper encourages lighter grip pressure, promoting less tension in the hands and creating more fluidity and power throughout the swing. ALL-WEATHER CONTROL Our exclusive Brushed Cotton Cord fuses moisture-wicking cotton fibers into a new soft rubber material for added stability in any condition. MAXIMUM SURFACE TEXTURE Engineered for softer feel and strategically placed for high traction. A soft micro-texture increases traction and comfort, while texture placement is ideal for maximum hand coverage. Specifications: Grip Size: Standard, Midsize Cord Size: 60 Round
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Ball: 2026 TaylorMade TP5
It’s Time to Switch The best players in the world, like 2025 champion in Augusta and career Grand Slam winner Rory McIlroy and Collin Morikawa have already made the switch to the fastest ever TP5. It’s time for you to make the switch, too. What Is Microcoating? No two golf balls are the same, but the all-new TP5 sets out to solve an invisible problem through our revolutionary microcoating finish process. Uneven paint and excess pooling in the dimples can compromise distance and accuracy. Microcoating uses precision application technology to ensure uniform coverage across the ball’s entire surface. Click on the video for a deep dive. Thinner than a Human Hair Microcoating is thinner than a human hair and delivers measurable performance advantages: more consistent ball flight, optimized distance, and tight left-to-right dispersion. The Fastest TP5 Ever TP5 has long been our softest five-layer Tour ball, but now it’s faster than ever. Employing our largest Tour core to date, the TP5 retains more energy at impact, which results in faster ball speeds and more distance at the top of your bag. Tour Flight The reengineered Tour Flight Dimple Pattern features new dimples that when combined with microcoating, promote a more predictable, penetrating ball flight with optimized peak height performance and increased accuracy. Hyper Focus TP5 Stripe employs an all-new Tour Stripe with 360° ClearPath Alignment™, tighter feedback lines and a performance dot that allows you to achieve hyper focus on the green and hole more putts.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: golf.com
