With firm, fast and windy conditions expected, accurate driving will be a key asset \u2013 good news for Rai, who sits 2nd in that particular statistic on the PGA Tour this season. It\u2019s a feat the 30-year-old has achieved without relying on the latest technology. There are many quirks with his equipment, from wearing two gloves to using iron headcovers, but perhaps the biggest is the 2019 TaylorMade M6 driver<\/a> that remains in Rai\u2019s bag<\/a>.<\/p>\n While most of the world\u2019s best players regularly switch into the latest equipment, the world No.17 continues to trust a driver that\u2019s now several generations old. It clearly works, helping Rai lift the Wanamaker Trophy just two months ago and now, heading into the year\u2019s final men\u2019s major, he insists he cannot find anything better.<\/p>\n \u201cI really like the driver, but it\u2019s almost like a necessity to stick with it just with where equipment has gone over the past few years,\u201d Rai said at his pre-tournament press conference at Birkdale. <\/p>\n The 30-year-old revealed he already has replacement M6 heads waiting for when his current one eventually reaches the end of its life.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve still got a few as backup,\u201d he explained. \u201cOver time they get a little hot, so naturally there will come a point where I have to change into the backup heads.\u201d<\/p>\n Drivers gradually become faster through repeated use and can eventually become non-conforming under the USGA\u2019s Characteristic Time (CT) limit, meaning even Rai\u2019s trusted M6 won\u2019t last forever.<\/p>\n The obvious question is why a reigning major champion hasn\u2019t been tempted by the generations of technology that have followed.<\/p>\n \u201cThe biggest thing for me is the consistency. There was a period of driver where it had a nice balance between distance, but it definitely had a little bit of forgiveness.\u201d<\/p>\n TaylorMade\u2019s move to carbon-face technology has defined its driver lineup since the Stealth launched in 2022, but Rai admits he has never found the same level of comfort with those models.<\/p>\n \u201cI think since 2021 TaylorMade have gone into the carbon faces, which have felt a little bit difficult for me to adjust to.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I\u2019ve tried other brands and they have the same titanium face as the M6, they don\u2019t have the Twist Face technology, which then changes my misses and what I expect to happen with the ball.\u201d<\/p>\n That combination of forgiveness, predictable ball flight and familiarity has proved impossible for Rai to replace, despite years of testing newer equipment.<\/p>\n His comments are a reminder that newer doesn\u2019t always mean better. While manufacturers continue to push driver technology forward, finding a club that inspires complete confidence can be worth more than a few extra yards.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, life has inevitably become busier since Rai\u2019s breakthrough victory at Aronimink, with him admitting he\u2019s still learning how to balance the demands that come with being a major champion.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s definitely a learning experience as we\u2019re going,\u201d he said. \u201cTrying to plan things as well as possible in terms of commitments, practice, also just time to myself as well. I think that planning element has become more important over the last couple of months in scheduling.\u201d<\/p>\n Rai says one of the biggest challenges has been making time for his family, particularly wife Gaurika<\/a>, who continues to pursue her own professional golf career.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s definitely challenging managing both of our careers,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s tricky to find that balance during this part of the season to spend time together but still manage her career as well.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Aaron](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/aaron-rai-the-open-2026-press-conference.jpg\")
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