Rory doesn’t have a weight problem
(Despite what American ‘experts’ may say)
Never mind that Gary Player’s lifetime commitment to fitness means he is still capable of shooting scores lower than his age at 80. It’s the image of Tiger Woods, body broken and all washed up at half that age, that’s fresh in the minds of the American golfing commentariat.
Accordingly, rory McIlroy’s first appearance on the PGA Tour this year at the Northern Trust Open in Los Angeles today has been overshadowed by yet more speculation that he is doing too much in the gym (only in golf would you ever get criticised for doing too much in the gym).
Asked to assess McIlroy’s chances this season, former PGA tour player and noted television analyst Brandel Chamblee followed coach Butch Harmon’s lead last year and wondered idly whether the Northern Irishman was lifting too many weights.
‘I say it with a lot of trepidation, because it’s a different era for sure, and I don’t know the full extent of what he is doing,’ said Chamblee. ‘But when I see the things he’s doing in the gym, I think of what happened to Tiger Woods.
‘What Tiger did early in his career with his game was just an example of how good a human being can be, but what he did towards the middle and end is an example to be wary of. That’s just my opinion. And it does give me a little concern when I see the extensive weightlifting rory is doing in the gym.’ Chamblee did add he’d seen no signs it was ‘ adversely affecting rory’s game’ but the man himself was irked enough to issue a Twitter response, firstly with a video of himself lifting weights and then an explanation of why it was far from extensive.
‘Last set of squats was 3x3 at 120kg (265lbs). Did 3x10 at 100kg (225lbs) before that. I’m 165lbs. I’m a golfer not body builder,’ said McIlroy, pointedly.
Last December, Harmon, who coached Tiger during his prime years, opined that McIlroy ‘could hurt himself in the gym if he got too bulky’.
Certainly, if McIlroy was simply interested in body image there is evidence to support the belief of Harmon and Chamblee. Sir Nick Faldo admitted once that he lost his touch around the greens because he was lifting too many weights.
But, with all the scientific information available to players these days, there’s no excuse for making such a mistake, and precious little chance McIlroy would fall into such a trap.
So why does he work out so much? Given Chamblee’s own confession that he doesn’t really know what McIlroy is doing — why do people feel the need to comment when not knowing the facts? — let’s fill in the gaps.
When McIlroy first appeared on the scene he had no interest in the gym, was a slightly pudgy teenager and, worryingly for someone so young, was struggling with his lower back.
For a while he stopped practising as hard, simply relying on all that natural talent, and then he limited the number of tournaments he played in, before finally resolving to get to the bottom of the problem.
He met up with Steve McGregor, a fitness wizard who used to oversee the training methods at Manchester City, and was working with Lee Westwood at the time.
The two Macs hit it off straight away, with McGregor designing a series of golf-related exercises that would enable McIlroy to practise as much as he wanted without putting unnecessary strain on his back.
Specifically, the idea was to strengthen McIlroy’s core muscles — hence the squat exercises — which has proved so successful it is several years since the 26-year-old had any problems in the lumbar region.
McIlroy is acutely aware that working out in the gym can prove addictive. In an interview with this paper on the subject in April 2014, he brought up the subject of Tiger and his obsessiveness.
‘ There definitely has to be a balance,’ he said. ‘You want to train and push your body but at the end of the day you are a golfer.
‘Tiger obviously took training to a new level, where he didn’t want to be just the best golfer in the world. He wanted to train with Navy Seals because that was his personality, but there is a fine line with your health.
‘It’s not about being able to squat 450 times. It is about getting the ball in the hole.’
Given that McIlroy went on to win two majors in the summer of that year, a little trust that he knows what he’s doing wouldn’t go amiss, would it?
A strong field has gathered in the Hollywood Hills this week, with McIlroy out early in the first round this morning alongside Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama and American Matt Kuchar.
Also playing are world No 1 Jordan Spieth and the english quartet of Justin rose, Paul Casey, Luke Donald and Andy Sullivan.