Changes abound as McIlroy looks for 5th career major at Erin Hill

When Rory McIlroy strides confidently to the first tee on Thursday at Erin Hills, it would be appropriate to have David Bowie's "Changes" blaring in the background to describe the 28-year-old's life recently.

Whether it be an equipment change, an injury battle, or a wedding, McIlroy has had a dramatic few months heading into the year's second major championship.

Despite only playing one tournament in two months, McIlroy remains the No. 2 golfer in the world, and one of the favorites to capture his second U.S. Open this week on a lengthy Erin Hills layout.

Let's examine the major changes in McIlroy's life recently, and just how big of a deal each of them are.

First major with TaylorMade clubs and ball

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It was a couple days prior to THE PLAYERS Championship in early May when McIlroy announced a lengthy deal with TaylorMade. He had been experimenting with that brand and Callaway for a brief period of time, and after extensive testing, he decided TaylorMade was the brand for him.

"I've been around the game long enough and have tested most clubs on the market," McIlroy said in a statement. "I've never been as excited about equipment as I am right now."

One of the major reasons for choosing the brand was the TP5x golf ball. McIlroy struggled to find a ball that performed to his liking in the wind before deciding the TaylorMade option functioned best. That should be a major help at Erin Hills, where winds are expected to blow in the 20-mph range throughout the week.

"I started hitting this TP5x golf ball and oh my goodness, this ball is so much better," the four-time major champion gushed. "This is what I've been missing."

Degree of change: Massive

There's no bigger change a golfer can make than his clubs, and McIlroy jumped all in with an entire bag change. Obviously he's tested the new sticks extensively, but how they will perform under the difficult conditions of a U.S. Open will be on full display this week.

First major/tournament with TaylorMade Spider putter

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When the change of equipment was initially announced, McIlroy was set to use his Odyssey prototype until he settled on a specific TaylorMade model. It appears he has done so, as the Northern Irishman is putting a Spider Tour putter in his bag this week to help his alignment.

"That's one of the reasons I went to the mallet - I sort of figured it helped me align better and helped with my aim," McIlroy told Jonathan Wall of PGATour.com. "It's awesome with the Spider because you set this thing up and you know exactly where you're aiming, and it sits so square with that flow neck."

The addition of the Spider means the top three players in the world, Dustin Johnson, McIlroy, and Jason Day are all using that model of putter. If that doesn't help TaylorMade move product off the shelf, nothing will.

Degree of change: Medium

While it's certainly a big deal to make a putter change, McIlroy could putt garden hose and still be one of the top players in the field. The uber-talented ballstriker has always relied on his long game to overpower the field and that won't change this week. An average week on the greens should be just fine to see him in contention come Sunday.

First tournament since re-aggravating rib injury

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McIlroy played through pain at THE PLAYERS Championship, as he re-aggravated a rib injury he sustained earlier in the season. That caused him to withdraw from both the BMW Championship and the Memorial, meaning he hasn't played tournament golf since early May.

Kevin Na's eye-opening video from the weekend shows just how gnarly the rough is this week. The last thing anyone wants McIlroy doing is hacking his way through the lush grass, so driving the ball accurately will be essential this week.

Degree of change: Significant

McIlroy will need to be at full strength against the difficult conditions this week, and a sensitive rib is the last thing he needs on his mind as he tries to keep his ball out of the absurd rough that lines the fairways.

First major as a married man

A late-April event saw McIlroy marry Erica Stoll at Ashford Castle in Ireland, meaning this will be his first major as a married man.

Degree of change: None

Unless his wedding ring slices his finger in two, the fact he's now a married man should have no bearing on his performance this week.