Andy Murray is continuing to pursue his new passion after getting the blessing of wife Kim
Andy Murray has competed in numerous celebrity golf tournaments(Image: Getty Images)
Andy Murray is more likely to be seen with a golf club in hand than a tennis racket these days.
The two-time Wimbledon champion retired after the Paris 2024 Olympics and has since spent a large portion of his time honing his golf skills. Murray has taken part in several celebrity tournaments, including last year’s Sunningdale Foursomes, and the 38-year-old is set to compete in the same event this week.
The Foursomes, which have been held since 1934, will feature not only Murray but also Welsh icon Gareth Bale. The tennis legend will be paired with DP World Tour winner Eddie Pepperell, while Bale will team up with Matthew Wylie.
The tournament, taking place over three days from March 10th to March 13th, will be hosted on Sunningdale’s Old and New courses. While Murray has downplayed his golfing ambitions, he hinted that his future might be in the sport.
The Open dreams
As the world’s oldest golf tournament, The Open represents the pinnacle of the sport for many, especially on this side of the Atlantic. In theory, the tournament is open to both professional and amateur golfers, but only a select few of the world’s top amateurs participate, either by invitation or through qualification.
Murray may be a passionate golfer, but even the sports star recognises his limitations on the golf course despite having an impressive handicap of two. Whilst he has previously confessed that participating in The Open would be a “fun thing to do,” the Scot harbours no illusions about qualifying for the tournament.
Murray and Bale will be competing this week(Image: Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
“I don’t have ambitions of playing in The Open,” Murray clarified last year on The Romesh Ranganathan Show. “I want to try and play in the regional qualifying at some stage. A couple of my friends have done it.
“It would just be a fun thing to do if you got to the level where you’re able to do that. I would do it, but I certainly don’t think I would have any chance of qualifying for The Open.
“I’m fully aware of how good the players that play in those events are and how good the pros are in comparison to amateurs. Even guys that play off two or three are miles off what these guys on the Tour are doing.”
New career ambitions
As if a 19-year career at the pinnacle of tennis wasn’t enough for Murray, the 38-year-old has expressed his interest in venturing into the world of pro golf – but not as a player. Continuing his chat with Ranganathan, Murray revealed he’s contemplating a new career as a caddie.
“I’m considering becoming a golf caddie, hopefully for a professional golfer at some stage,” he disclosed. “I love golf and if you love that sport, it would be a great job. If you are working with a top golfer and being there when they have a great moment on the course and feeling like you can help a little bit with decisions and things like that, I think it would be a brilliant job.”
Wife agreement
Murray has shared what his wife Kim thinks of his new passion(Image: John Phillips/Getty Images)
Murray’s growing amount of time dedicated to golf receives the approval of his wife, Kim Sears, who he light-heartedly suggested is pleased to have him on the course instead of at home. He told Ranganathan: “I don’t think she wants me in the house all day bothering her, to be honest.”
The retired tennis star explained his duties concerning their four children enables him to dedicate more time to practising as he continued: “So, yeah, she’s fine with it.
“So long as I help drop-off and pick-up [the kids to and from school]. I don’t think she massively wants to see me during the day. [At least] that’s what I think.”