Despite His Fitness Pledge, Rory McIlroy Has a Cheat Day on His 34th Birthday

Published 05/05/2023, 1:24 PM EDT

In order to perform better, many professional golfers place a high priority on fitness. It’s not always true, though, that every golfer has a reputation for being physically fit. In reality, compared to other sports, golf has traditionally been viewed as requiring less physical prowess. The significance of fitness in golf has, however, received greater emphasis recently. Golfers are becoming more aware of the tremendous influence physical fitness may have on their game. PGA Tour golfer Rory McIlroy, is one example.

Regarding the significance of physical fitness in golf, he has always been quite outspoken. Additionally, the 34-year-old is convinced that staying physically fit improves his performance on the course. McIlroy, though, steals the show when he chooses to ignore fitness for a moment.

Rory McIlroy decides to cheat on his diet

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Two significant events on the PGA Tour were on May 4. The Irish professional golfer’s birthday fell on the first day of the 2023 Wells Fargo Championship. While McIlroy received abundant birthday blessings and wishes on the course itself, he drew notice when he chose to let go a little on his diet.

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The four-time major champion posted a story to his Instagram account following the conclusion of the play on the first day at Quail Hollow. McIlroy posted a photo of his birthday cake in the story that was sent to him by TaylorMade. The caption of the story read: “So good I almost don’t want to eat it. But I definitely will…”. The 34-year-old ended the story by thanking TaylorMade for this gift.

In addition to his golfing prowess, McIlroy has drawn recognition for his emphasis on fitness and dedication to maintaining peak physical condition. He has developed a workout routine that combines weightlifting, aerobics, and stretching after consulting with nutritionists and personal trainers. However, this incident unequivocally demonstrates that the birthday boy took the day off from focusing on fitness.

McIlroy’s performance on his birthday at Quail Hollow

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There’s little doubt that the 34-year-old feels at home at Quail Hollow Club. He has won three Wells Fargo Championships there (in 2010, 2015, and 2021). In 11 appearances in this competition, McIlroy has only finished outside the top 20 once. Additionally, the fact that he was matched with his pals Jason Day and Matt Fitzpatrick, only strengthened the sensation of familiarity. In addition to all of this, McIlroy turned 34 on that day. Moreover, it was undoubtedly difficult to find a golfer who was calmer and more collected than him on the first day.

On the 10th hole of Thursday’s round, the 21-time PGA TOUR champion made an up-and-down shot from a greenside bunker to get his first birdie of the day. On holes 16 and 17, as well as the second and third, the 34-year-old rescued par from off the green. The four-time major champion also was able to make a strong recovery to avoid missing the 15th hole.

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On the par-five eighth, where he drove out of bounds, McIlroy made his lone bogey. The PGA Tour pro recovered the shot on the par-four ninth hole, which was also his final hole of the day. McIlroy sank an 11-foot birdie putt to finish three under.

Watch This Story: ‘Soft As Charmin’: Golf World Left in Awe After Rory McIlroy Gives Them the Best Birthday Present

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Written by:

Suhaib is a new addition to the EssentiallySports team as a golf writer. His passion for golf started with his admiration for Tiger Woods, and his favorite golf book is the co-authored Unprecedented: The Masters and Me by the legend himself. Before transitioning to golf, Suhaib wrote about the NBA, where he explored the legacies of basketball legends like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

Edited by:

Manaal Siddiqui

Despite His Fitness Pledge, Rory McIlroy Has a Cheat Day on His 34th Birthday

Rory McIlroy decides to cheat on his diet

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McIlroy’s performance on his birthday at Quail Hollow