Golf-Garcia leaning towards Callaway after split with TaylorMade

Nov 15 (Reuters) - U.S. Masters champion Sergio Garcia will use a new ball and clubs at this week's DP World Tour Championship in Dubai after parting company with the TaylorMade equipment company.

TaylorMade announced last week that it was splitting with the Spaniard, who on Tuesday said he was leaning towards signing with Callaway, whose gear he will use during the European Tour's season-ending event at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

"(I) spent 15 years with TaylorMade, but unfortunately things come to an end," Garcia said ahead of Thursday's opening round.

"It wasn't only my decision... I guess all companies change, and the politics with TaylorMade have changed now after leaving Adidas.

"We couldn't come to an agreement. So I understand that it's also difficult when you have so many top players, to keep all of them."

Adidas announced in May that it was selling TaylorMade to KPS Capital Partners.

TaylorMade earlier this year signed Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, the two biggest names in world golf. Other TaylorMade players include world number one Dustin Johnson and former number one Jason Day.

After 22 previous top-10 finishes in the grand slam events, the 37-year-old Garcia finally broke his major duck when he beat Justin Rose in a playoff at Augusta National in April.

The Spaniard said adjusting to a new ball was more difficult than the transition to new clubs.

"What we've been testing, the numbers have been really good with the balls that Callaway has brought to me," he said.

"Now it's just a matter of trying it on the golf course and trying it in tournament play, and seeing how it reacts and seeing how it feels.

"Then if there's any changes that need to be made, then we have time in the off-season to get it sorted out." (Reporting by Andrew Both in Tokyo; Editing by John O'Brien)