Enjoy speed… ‘Golfer and Rottweiler’ – Asia Economy

McIlroy, Lamborghini and Bugatti ‘speed fanatic’
Poulter, Ferrari and Aston Martin ‘collector’
Azinger and Love III The Rider Who Cuts the Wind
Watson becomes a hot topic after purchasing 37 cars in 12 years

Golf is one of the most stressful sports. It is even more difficult as you have to fight not only with yourself but also with nature. If you play by concentrating on each shot, your energy consumption is greater than ever. This is why tour players do not participate in more than three tournaments in a row. For this reason, it is essential to have a change of mood where you can let go of everything and cool your head for a while. Golf stars gain new strength through supercars.

Rory McIlroy is a ‘speed fanatic’ who enjoys driving alone.

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◆Relieve stress= Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) is a ‘naive country boy’ on the field, but when he gets into a car, he turns into a ‘speed fanatic.’ Before marrying Erica in 2017, his hobby was driving alone in Hollywood, USA.

Rory McIlroy is seen riding the BMW i8. (Photo provided by BMW Group)

Rory McIlroy is seen riding the BMW i8. (Photo provided by BMW Group)

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In 2013, a photo of him riding a Ferrari F430 with his ex-girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) became an issue. Ferrari produced a total of more than 15,000 F430s from 2004 to 2009. The Ferrari F430 is equipped with a 4.3-liter V8 engine that can produce up to 490 horsepower and 465 Nm of torque at 5250 rpm. This vehicle accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds. The maximum speed is 315 km/h.

Rory McIlroy's favorite supercar, the Lamborghini Aventador. (Photo provided by Lamborghini)

Rory McIlroy’s favorite supercar, the Lamborghini Aventador. (Photo provided by Lamborghini)

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My favorite ‘horse’ is Lamborghini Aventador. This is Lamborghini’s mid-sized super sports car model. 12-cylinder V12 engine, 6.5 liter capacity, maximum 690 horsepower, maximum torque 689.Nm. It uses a semi-automatic single clutch transmission and a 7-speed automatic transmission. It can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.9 seconds. The maximum speed is 354 km/h. In addition to Lamborghini, McIlroy owns the world’s fastest car, Bugatti (top speed 449 km/h), Ferrari F12, BMW i8, and Range Rover Sport.

‘Great White Shark’ Greg Norman (Australia) and 2017 Masters Champion Sergio Garcia (Spain) are ‘speed maniacs’ who relieve stress through car racing at car racing tracks. Norman previously had experience driving a pace car that ran at 320 km/h at the front in the American car race ‘Indy 500’, and also had experience flying jets such as the F-14 Tomcat and F-16 Phantom 4.

Aaron Baddeley (Australia) drives down the highway in the Pontiac GTO, a famous sports car. Frank Rickreiter (USA) boasted of a high level of skill that he competed in car races in the past. Veteran Jay Haas (USA), who plays in the Champions Tour, cherishes his 1960s Shelby Mustang GT500.

Ian Poulter's hobby is collecting cars. (Photo courtesy of Ian Poulter’s Instagram)

Ian Poulter’s hobby is collecting cars. (Photo courtesy of Ian Poulter’s Instagram)

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◆Collect, precious new products= ‘Fashion Model of the Field’ Ian Poulter (England) is a representative car collector. There are numerous famous cars in the garage, including the white Ferrari California, Ford GT-40, Jaguar XFR, Bentley Continental GT, Aston Martin DB9, and Rolls-Royce Ghost. Whenever he has free time, he brags about his ‘horses’ on Twitter and Facebook.

I don’t just like cars. They are also famous as ‘new product manias’ who purchase newly released products at random. A person’s ‘collecting instinct’ can easily be seen in the hundreds of pairs of golf shoes on display at home. I am also sensitive to trends. Even when competing, she usually wears ‘boot cut’ pants that are slightly wider below the knees to show off her strong force. Pants with a checkered pattern became Poulter’s trademark. In fact, he is also developing a clothing business under his own name, a brand called ‘IPD’.

Paul Azinger (USA) is famous as ‘Rider’. The house is equipped with 34 different motorcycles and a repair shop. It travels 90,000 km per year. My dream is to one day ride a motorcycle across America. Davis Love III (USA) is also formidable. He is also a collector who buys all luxury items, including the black Fatboy that Arnold Schwarzenegger (USA) rode in the movie ‘The Terminator’.

Bubba Watson's love for cars is so special that he became the co-owner of a Chevrolet dealership. (Photo courtesy of Bubba Watson’s Instagram)

Bubba Watson’s love for cars is so special that he became the co-owner of a Chevrolet dealership. (Photo courtesy of Bubba Watson’s Instagram)

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Long hitter Bubba Watson (USA) is also formidable. The company owns a luxury sedan, a sports car specially decorated with an emblem in its own color, pink, and a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon. In an interview with US Golf Week in 2018, he confessed, “I have purchased 37 cars over 12 years.” In 2016, he became a co-owner of a Chevrolet dealership in Milton, Florida. Rickie Fowler (USA) also owns a Porsche 911 Turbo, Nissan GT-R, and Mercedes C-Class Coupe. Custom cars are colored orange to symbolize themselves.

Tiger Woods likes the Buick Bengal modeled after him. (Photo provided by Buick)

Tiger Woods likes the Buick Bengal modeled after him. (Photo provided by Buick)

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◆We also love famous cars= The ‘Emperor of Golf’ Tiger Woods (USA) also owns a pretty good car. He mainly drives a custom black Mercedes S65 AMG. My favorite car is the Porsche Carrera GT. In February 2021, while driving a Genesis GV80, he was involved in an accident so serious that the vehicle had to be scrapped, but he received attention because he was not seriously injured. He has a special affection for Buick’s Bengal, which was modeled after him. Highlights include headlights that look like cat eyes and a door designed to fit a golf bag.

Most domestic players also drive luxury cars. Safety comes first, and since I travel long distances, I choose a comfortable car. People purchase expensive cars by leasing because car-related expenses are tax deductible. There are many players who have earned ‘salty side income’ through hole-in-ones or gifts from sponsors.

Se-ri Pak served as a public relations ambassador for Aston Martin in 2023.

Se-ri Pak served as a public relations ambassador for Aston Martin in 2023.

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‘Golf legend’ Se-ri Pak drove Aston Martin’s DBX707, the world’s most powerful luxury SUV, last year. “The world’s best power and speed, excellent accuracy, dynamic sense, and driving immersion are impressive,” he said. Ji-ae Shin received a car as a prize for winning the Japan Ladies Professional Golf (JLPGA) Tour. He earned a good amount of extra income from Mercedes-Benz sedans and vans, and GM’s sports car Camaro.


Reporter Noh Woo-rae golfman@asiae.co.kr

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