SAN DIEGO – Rory McIlroy has what is widely considered one of the game’s most fundamentally sound golf swings, and what he sees in Hosung Choi’s action is, “technically,” a good swing.
Now, what happens after the South Korean makes impact? That is another story.
“I’m not sure a golf shot should mean that much to you that you’re doing that after you hit it, like it’s just trying a little too hard,” McIlroy said with a laugh Wednesday at the Farmers Insurance Open. “You have to try hard at golf, but that’s taking it to an extreme.”
Choi is poised to make his first start on the PGA Tour in two weeks after receiving a sponsor exemption into the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
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The 45-year-old has gained notoriety with his unique follow-through and over-the-top on-course reactions. But he is also an accomplished player, ranking 194th in the Official World Golf Ranking and currently riding a streak of four straight worldwide top-20 finishes, including a victory at the Japan Tour’s Casio World Open.
“If you watch it up until impact, he’s technically got a pretty good swing. He’s obviously a pretty good player,” McIlroy said. “Whether that means he should be taking a spot away from a PGA Tour player at a PGA Tour event, I’m not so sure.”