|
 At the age of 44 and despite a few "dings, nicks and bruises
along the way," American Furyk is still one of the most consistent
players around as he continues his quest to add further PGA Tour
titles to his impressive tally of 16.
Criticized by some pundits early on in his career for his highly
unorthodox and loopy swing, Furyk's game has stood the test of time
and he maintains a high level of fitness while many of his peers
have succumbed to injury and dips in form.
"So far, I've been fortunate but we all know in this sport that it
can be short-lived," Furyk told Reuters while competing in last
week's Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club where he tied for
14th.
"If something happens to the back or whatever it may be, it's a
tricky slope. I'm just thankful for the very healthy years that I've
had and I do the best to get as many more as I can.
"Workouts are something that I enjoy. I feel better, I am stronger,
I am more fit. As I get older, I realize that I am more prone to
injury and I am trying to not reverse the effects but at least kind
of keep them sidelined for a while."
 VARIOUS CRITICISMS
Furyk, whose only major victory came at the 2003 U.S. Open, has had
only one swing coach during his career – his father, Mike. He
vividly recalls the various criticisms of his unique swing while he
was making his way as a young professional.
"People would say, 'Well, I wonder if that swing will hold up or I
wonder if that will cause some injuries?' And now people tend to be
on the front end," Furyk smiled. "They say, 'It's efficient and it
doesn't put as much stress on my body.'
"I think it's just a bunch of bandwagon, if you ask me. So-called
experts love to say that this swing puts more force on this or that
or whatever it may be.
[to top of second column] |
"But most of those people making those comments don't have any
medical degrees or know anything about biomechanics probably. It's
all an uneducated guess at that moment."
Though Furyk has not won on the PGA Tour since the 2010 Tour
Championship, he continues to be one of the circuit's most
consistent players. He made the cut in all of his 21 starts last
season, while recording 11 top-10s.
Asked what still motivated him on the golf course as he approaches
the twilight of his career, Furyk replied: "I would love to win more
golf tournaments. The ultimate aim is you want to raise a trophy and
you want to add a title to your list.
"But I'm in a good spot right now with the state of my game and the
state of my attitude. I'm not saying I'm content but I'm in a place
where I'm just enjoying competing.
"And because I'm having a good time of it, I have played very well
in the process. I've found a way to somewhat juggle family and
career and still have the drive to do well. As long as I have that
drive, I think I can play well."
(Editing by Frank Pingue)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
