AUGUSTA, Ga. — He appeared on the cover of Golf Digest as a chiseled Greek god and showed up on the Men’s Health cover in a skin-tight gray T-shirt. Sense a theme?
Rory McIlroy’s appearance once was notable for … well, very little. Now he looks like he’s preparing for next year’s NFL combine, having tweeted out a picture of himself lifting 280 pounds.
McIlroy, who is single, said his rigorous weight lifting routine — 90-minute sessions 10 times a week, according to Golf Digest — is not rooted in a desire to look good for the opposite sex.
“It’s about longevity, injury prevention, trying to prolong my career,” he said. “The reason I got into working out was because I had a bad back, and there were reasons for that: I didn’t have the core strength and stability I needed. I would hit 10 drivers on the range and feel it.
“Since I’ve started to incorporate a fitness regime into my game, it enables me to practice more and play better.”
Fair enough, but didn’t someone by the name of Tiger Woods overdo it in the gym? That’s at least the common perception, given Woods’ back and neck issues and the fact he played his best golf before trying to resemble an outside linebacker.
More Top Picks Rogue Vs Rep Fitness Barbells
“All these guys believe in what they’re doing,” CBS analyst Nick Faldo said, “but looking from the outside, when you see a man power-lifting 300 pounds … I always say the golf club weighs 12 ounces. And I know for a fact if you power-lift, you cannot play golf that afternoon.
“You can play some pretty good golf with a decent pair of shoulders, a strong neck and some pretty good hands.”
Woods, who is tight with McIlroy, said he has not steered him away from heavy lifting. Just the opposite.
“I encourage it,” Woods said. “You’ve got to be explosive. The ball is not moving. We’ve got to move it out there, and the only way to do that is to be fast.”