Rory McIlroy clearly not ‘all work and no play’
By sustaining the damage in ‘in a soccer kickabout with friends on Saturday’ it proved that McIlroy is true to his beliefs that life is there to be lived and enjoyed.
No one should doubt but that his mind would have been undoubtedly preoccupied with his preparation for the defence of the Open Championship at St Andrews next week or that his meticulously prepared plans were pretty much in place but as he has proven time and again McIlroy refreshingly does not subscribe to the “all work and no play” attitude of many of his peers in the game.
McIlroy’s professional career is best described as being littered with periods of unmatchable golfing brilliance and question marks.
On form, McIlroy is undoubtedly the best player in the world, and the poster boy for a golf industry trying to deal with the demise of Tiger Woods.
Sure, Jordan Speith has stolen some of the limelight in recent months and in doing so put a bit of transatlantic rivalry on the table but he is no McIlroy.
So for all of our sakes we must now hope Rory seeks out and gets accurate medical advice – that he listens to his own body and prioritises a full recovery over rushing himself back to competitive golf.
Injury is part of every professional athlete’s life but there is nothing more frustrating than sustaining an injury in a simple, freak accident. There is a strong likelihood of full recovery but the importance of getting his right treatment cannot be overstated — given a player of McIlroy’s calibe generates so much of his stability and power from the actions of his lower body.
Though nothing has been confirmed it is impossible to see him contesting The Open Championship later this month.
St Andrew’s is a venue that would have heavily favoured McIlroy’s power game and no one should doubt but that his potential absence is a huge loss to the tournament but the show goes on and as Tiger has learned over the past couple of years – one man’s loss is another man’s gain — none more so than the Grand Slam chasing Speith.
But, if as it seems the golfing God’s appear to be looking favourably on him at the moment, he now must deal with the added pressure of being the clear favourite.
Assuming McIlroy gets an accurate timeline for his recovery then I have no doubt but that he will park his frustrations in order to prioritise whatever needs to be done to make a healthy and competitive comeback.
As easy as that sounds, a long lay-off will effect his core strength but even more importantly it could possible effect his confidence to put his full weight and power on his ankle.
That said, time and again McIlroy has proven his ability to deal with adversity. The fact most of them are self-inflicted, reflects his enthusiasm to express himself.
It is that same character that makes him professional golf’s greatest asset.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
