McIlroy: More fit players would improve golf’s popularity

Rory McIlroy is in really good shape, but he wasn’t always the bulging mass of muscle he is now. He was once a little pudgy and a whole lot of curly.

Now more clean cut, in shape and on top of the golf world, McIlroy figures the sport’s popularity would improve if more of his peers made that effort to improve their physical fitness.

“I think [golf] has progressed a lot and has become more of an athletic look,” McIlroy said on “The Dan Patrick Show.”

“You don’t need to be built like a linebacker, but you need to have stability and strength in certain areas and of course, if more golfers look athletic, it portrays a much better image for the game. That encourages kids to pick up the sport or a club.”

You mean to tell me kids don’t enjoy watching, say, Brendon de Jonge because he has some extra lbs on him? What about Angel Cabrera? No one wants to see El Pato Flaco.

But the Ulsterman does have a point. Kids look up to super athletes who look like they can do amazing things, not guys who look like they can down a 12 pack with no six-pack.

Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.

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