McIlroy, Carrick and attention to detail
What footballers learn from golf
Michael Carrick is far too professional and focused to be distracted from preparing Manchester United for Monday’s collision with Leeds United but he could be forgiven for keeping an eye on the Masters. He’s friends with Rory McIlroy, a huge Manchester United fan, and even partnered him at the PGA Championship pro-am at Wentworth in 2018.
Footballers have traditionally enjoyed, even loved golf. Harry Kane plays off three, works with a golf apparel manufacturer and last year revealed he’s hitting a driver 301 yards. The golf365 website established that “would rank him 90th on the current PGA Tour season”. Kane hits a 6-iron to 204 yards and 3-iron to 247 yards.
Gareth Bale brought in course designers and landscapers to recreate Amen Corner at Augusta, the Postage Stamp at Royal Troon and the 17th at Sawgrass in his presumably spacious back garden at his home in the Vale of Glamorgan.
The list of footballing golfers is long. Andrei Shevchenko played off two and has had a house on the Wentworth estate. Julian Dicks played in tournaments in Spain. Scratch golfer Jimmy Bullard went into regional qualifying for The Open last year but failed to progress after a three-over-par 74 at Rochester & Cobham Park in Kent.
Peter Odemwingie, no stranger to high-profile drives, birdied the first in his qualifying attempt last year but also failed, eventually carding a 10-over 82 at Enville, near Stourbridge. The striker got into golf while at West Brom and pre-season training at a golf resort chosen by Roy Hodgson. Odemwingie has now qualified as a teaching professional.