Rory McIlroy
BIO: No. 10 Official World Golf Ranking; No. 20 PGA TOUR Official Money List; No. 24 FedEx Cup; No. 2 Average Driving Distance (318.7 yards); No. 8 Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee; 19 PGA TOUR titles; 4 Majors; 2x FedEx Cup champ.
4D SWING: Thursday, Round 1. Hole measured 519 yards.
BACKGROUND: At -1, McIlroy pounded the drive 334 yards into the center of the fairway. His approach from 172 finished 33 feet past the hole. Two-putt par. He finished the round at 1-under par (70).
TAKEAWAYS
00:00:00 to 00:00:02 — Rory possesses a model golf swing. The current U.S. Women’s Open champ, Yuka Saso, was right in trying to copy this one. He uses a neutral left-hand grip. The feet are slightly wider than his shoulders and the knees have a slight bend. Rory’s ready to coil into the backswing.
00:00:03 to 00:00:06 — His extreme flexibility is on full display. Check out the massive shoulder turn and torque created during the backswing.
00:00:07 to 00:00:08 — The shaft sits at a perfect parallel position, allowing for consistent timing on the downswing. Rory creates a huge turn while barely lifting the left heel off the ground, which is further evidence of his spinal mobility.
00:00:09 to 00:00:10 — The clubface (neutral position) matches the angle of the left forearm. He’s beginning to squat and use ground forces just prior to starting the downswing.
00:00:11 to 00:00:14 — His footwork is nearly flawless. Rory maintains a solid hold on the ground while shifting into the front foot. The left foot barely moves in response to the hip rotation.
00:00:15 to 00:00:17 — At the same time, Rory’s head moves away from the target, seemingly resting close to the right shoulder. He’s positioned to launch the ball.
00:00:18 to 00:00:23 — The swing is a masterpiece and the balanced finish is picture perfect. Rory holds it for the cameras. Amateurs should do it as well. Make the swing with the finish in mind to help with balance and weight shift.
Next up: Matthew Wolff