KOHLER, Wis. (WFRV) — Rory McIlory used the 72 holes he walked last week in Portugal as his fitness test to decide whether or not he was ready to play in the PGA Championship.
“Four days in a row, 72 holes, playing with no pain, no swelling, no anything like that,” McIlroy said during Wednesday’s press conference. “Then we knew that, okay, you’re ready to go. And if I hadn’t have passed that test, I wouldn’t have been here. “
McIlory won the PGA Championship two out of the last three years and his record at the PGA Championship has been the best out of all the Majors.
“I think it’s (the PGA Championship) usually a fair test of golf, somewhere within 10 to 15-under par usually wins this tournament,” he said. “So it’s not like it prevents the guys from making birdies, but it still penalizes you if you don’t hit good shots and I think that’s testament to the PGA of America and obviously to Kerry Haigh who sets the golf course up.”
Two weeks after his injury McIlory said he went on walks for an hour or two and has been progressing his workouts ever since. He took a 20 minute run Wednesday morning and said he hasn’t been in much pain.
While rehabbing his injury, McIlory had to wear a boot on his ankle but was still able to practice his short game. He said couldn’t take full swings for a while, but hopes the work on his short game will factor in this week.
