Elite golfers (still) come in all shapes and sizes

3:46 PM ET

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — With apologies to Jason Day’s blistering start or the uncommonly benign course conditions, the story of this week’s Players Championship so far just might be the continuation of the joggers and high-tops fad, a trend that’s had social media rankled over ankles.

Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler are among those to buck tradition and show a little leg, their inseam numbers even less than the back-nine 29 that McIlroy posted Friday morning.

Well, here’s a dirty little secret: The pants aren’t so much a fashion statement as a curtain. Their main purpose is for the apparel companies to show off those gleaming new kicks.

Until recently, Boo Weekley looked more like Santa Claus than a PGA Tour pro. Scott Halleran/Getty Images

Here’s another dirty little secret: Not every pro golfer has “the look” needed to pull this off.

In the post-Tiger Woods era, the golf marketing industry would like us to believe that each of the game’s elite players are comprised solely of chiseled biceps, rippled abs and two-percent body fat — unattainable goals in a game where the greatest appeal for the masses is the ability to compete just like the pros.

Fear not, weekend warriors. A simple check of the leaderboard reveals that not every player is a joggers and high-tops kind of guy.

“I’m out on that,” said Colt Knost, who posted a course record-tying 9-under 63 in the second round. “[Some fellow players] asked me yesterday, ‘How much to wear those for four days?’ It would have to be a big number.”

“No, that’s not my cup of tea,” agreed Boo Weekley, who opened with scores of 66-69. “Who am I, the fashion police? I don’t care. I wear camo half the time. They might not like that. So it don’t matter to me.”

Editor’s PicksKnost bogeys final hole, ties Players record (63)

Colt Knost missed a 5-foot par putt on the 18th hole that would have set the Stadium Course record at TPC Sawgrass. Instead, his 63 tied the mark shared by five …

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