Golf

1D's Niall Horan eyes new direction as golf coach

Niall Horan with eight-year-old cancer survivor Rhys Kiernan (left) during the Mega Putt Challenge for Cancer Research UK (Yui Mok/PA)
Niall Horan with eight-year-old cancer survivor Rhys Kiernan (left) during the Mega Putt Challenge for Cancer Research UK (Yui Mok/PA) Niall Horan with eight-year-old cancer survivor Rhys Kiernan (left) during the Mega Putt Challenge for Cancer Research UK (Yui Mok/PA)

ONE Direction's Niall Horan has called for more young women to take up golf as he revealed he would like to try his hand at coaching.

The 22-year-old singer was playing against celebrities ranging from Alan Shearer and Horan's sporting hero Brian O'Driscoll to Piers Morgan at the BMW PGA Championship Celebrity Pro-Am at Wentworth Golf Club in Virginia Water, Surrey.

The event raises money for Cancer Research UK Kids & Teens.

Speaking ahead of his appearance, he said he feels strongly about getting more young people involved as they are "the future of the game".

He added: "I would really like to see a lot more girls playing it because the girls' tour at the moment, the LPGA tour, is absolutely amazing, and there should be more kids playing."

Horan said he was "probably over the hill now" to follow his dream of being a professional golfer, but hinted at another career now his former band is on hiatus.

As well as forming Modest! Golf Management, he revealed he could see himself set up a training academy.

"If I could teach I would, but not at the moment," he said.

Horan sparked rumours of a solo career when golf ace Justin Rose shared a picture on Instagram of the two of them writing songs ahead of the Horan and Rose Gala Dinner and Pro-Am day on May 29 and 30, also supporting Cancer Research UK to find cures and kinder treatments for children and teenagers.

But he broke fans' hearts as he revealed it was not the start of his solo material.

He said: "We were just in the house and he has a piano and he was trying to write a song about his caddy to the tune of Hello by Adele - and I don't know if you've ever heard him sing but he's horrific - so we were just doing it as a joke.

"The whole media took over that we were writing songs together and its was blown out of proportion and we were only having a laugh."

Horan made a stop on the way to the course to take on the Totally Mega Putt Challenge against eight-year-old cancer survivor Rhys Kiernan, each getting three chances to hole a 100ft putt, with Rhys crowned the winner of the day.

At last year's event, Horan nearly killed a crowd member when he hit a rogue shot into the audience, but he said he is confident spectators are safe this year.

"I'm not as nervous as I usually am for these things... I've been practising. I'm a completely different golfer.

"I didn't kill anyone in Dublin last week (at the Irish Open), I didn't come near to killing anyone last week, so I'm feeling a lot more confident."