Rory McIlroy is widely recognized for having one of the best drive swings in modern golf. The Northern Irish golfer has maintained his place among the top players for over two decades, with 26 PGA Tour victories, including four major titles. Recently, at age 35, McIlroy has adjusted his swing to enhance his game further. Previously, he struggled with his backswing, often sending shots slightly to the right of his intended target.
To correct this issue, McIlroy dedicated three weeks to training in an indoor swing studio, allowing him to focus solely on his swing mechanics rather than analyzing the ball flight. This intensive practice aimed to refine his swing and achieve greater precision. Ahead of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, McIlroy debuted his improved swing, prompting Golf Digest’s Jamie Kennedy to ask if viewers noticed the changes. Hank Haney, a known critic of McIlroy and former coach of Tiger Woods, weighed in. He acknowledged McIlroy’s progress, noting he was “definitely on the right track,” but pointed out an issue with McIlroy’s head positioning. Haney tweeted, “Still too much across the line at the top but much better coming into the ball, needs to also address his head laying back at impact.”
Rory McIlroy did an opening drive of 194mph at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship 😲 pic.twitter.com/Omcr9Havls
— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) November 7, 2024
Although McIlroy has already made adjustments to his hand positioning, Haney continues to suggest changes, particularly around his head positioning during impact. However, McIlroy’s performance at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship responded powerfully to this critique. On the opening round’s first par-4 hole, McIlroy delivered an impressive 194 mph drive, demonstrating that his new technique was paying off, regardless of Haney’s advice for further tweaks.
This isn’t the first time McIlroy has deflected criticism from Haney. A similar situation arose after the U.S. Open when Haney criticized McIlroy’s caddie, Harry Diamond. According to Haney, McIlroy’s mistake on the 15th hole lay in the club selection made by Diamond. Haney believed that had Steve Williams, Tiger Woods’s former caddie, been there, he would have chosen an 8-iron instead of a 7-iron, which resulted in a poor lie and eventual bogey. However, when McIlroy heard of this comment, he defended Diamond, expressing frustration at those who criticize his caddie only when things go wrong, noting they’re never there to commend him when they win.
Haney later softened his stance, clarifying that he was merely commenting on the moment and that he respected Diamond’s abilities as a caddie. Now, as Haney suggests more adjustments to McIlroy’s swing, it’s likely that McIlroy will continue focusing on his own improvement rather than responding directly to his critics.