Rory McIlroy's progress from laser eye surgery just a couple of weeks ago has been exceptional and the Ulster man believes the perks that come from having the surgery far outweighed the risk the procedure posed in the first place.
McIlroy has had issues on the green during his career, especially in warmer climates when hay fever has been an issue. The laser eye surgery has helped him drastically, however, and he believes it can do no harm to his putting.
"I went for a routine check-up and the consultant said it was the best progress he could remember,’ said McIlroy.
‘He said it was my fixation. Obviously you’re under a radar and need to focus on this red light and while some people get in there and get twitchy, he said my fixation was as good as he’s ever seen."
He also discusses his putting, "Having this operation will not make any difference to my long-distance vision but it’s close up that you see the difference in sharpness — and that can’t hurt me with my putting."
McIlroy outlines just how it affected his eyes and the toll it took to constantly look after his contact lenses while playing in some of the highest pressure environments in the sporting world.
“I've always struggled with my eyes, especially in the summer with hay fever, when you’re rubbing your eyes and sometimes things would get under the contact lens and so everything becomes blurry. Now it is amazing, it really is. I had it done and the morning after it felt a bit gritty and stuff, which they said it would. I have been on drops for the last couple of weeks. But I had to go pretty quickly for a routine check-up and when I went there it was better than 20-20 vision already.”
The Down native continued, "“It’s just so nice not to have to worry about contact lenses. It has to be a help for putting. Anyone I know who has ever had it done says the same thing: ‘You won’t regret it.’ Close-up; 20, 30 metres is when people notice the sharpness difference.”
McIlroy starts the year ranked number three in the world following an incident which resulted in the Hollywood man missing most of the summer with an ankle injury. He looks to get back to top form with Jason Day and Jordan Speith on his radar as the new years approaches.
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