Andy Murray sets lofty golf ambition after tennis retirement

Andy Murray is no longer a tennis player. 

The 37-year-old and doubles partner Dan Evans bowed out of the Paris Olympics in Thursday’s men’s doubles quarter-finals to signal the end of a career that saw Murray win 49 titles – including three Grand Slams and two gold medals – and reach the top of the ATP rankings in an era that included the three best players to ever play the sport.

Following his post-match interview, in which Murray explained that “these weeks are so, so special” and how he will “definitely miss them”, the Scot took to X to show off some of that famous dry sense of humour we’ve come to love over the years…

Never even liked tennis anyway.

— Andy Murray (@andy_murray) August 1, 2024

Murray also changed his bio on the social media platform from “I play tennis” to “I played tennis”. How long before that sinks in?

Anyway, this is a golf website, so why are we talking about one of the finest players to ever grace the grass of Wimbledon?

Well, you might remember a few years ago Murray revealed in an interview that he would consider a career in our sport once he hung up his racquet.

“I really like golf, so being a caddie for example on the golf tour would be something I would find exciting,” he explained. “To be up close and personal to top golfers – and to learn about another sport like that – and maybe there’s some crossover between the two sports from the mental side and things, and so you might be able to help a golfer.”

• McEwan: Andy Murray has a book – and Tiger Woods should take a leaf from it

Whether a caddying career is still an ambition for Murray remains to be seen, but he does still have one target on the golf course.

When asked about his sporting and life goals in retirement, Murray said he would “try and be a good dad” to his four children and “be at home as much as I can while they’re growing up”, as well as “being around” for his wife, Kim.

“That’s what I’m most looking forward to,” he added.

But it was his answer to the first part that piqued our interest.

“I would like to try and become a scratch golfer – that’s my sporting goal.”

Along with brother Jamie, Glasgow-born Murray, who now lives in Surrey, is a member of Wentworth – the home of the DP World Tour and its flagship event, the BMW PGA Championship –  and apparently plays off a handicap of nine.

A long way to go, Andy. But, as his tennis career has proven, anything Tim Henman can do, Murray can do better.

Still, the swing looks decent…

Plenty time to work on the golf game now, @andy_murray 🙌🏼#legend pic.twitter.com/9WYIQG42k7

— bunkered (@bunkeredgolf) August 1, 2024

And who knows, maybe we’ll see Murray and fellow keen golfer Rafael Nadal going shot-for-shot at a golf tournament one day…

Alex Perry is the Associate Editor of bunkered. A journalist for more than 20 years, he has been a golf industry stalwart for the majority of his career and, in a five-year spell at ESPN, covered every sporting event you can think of. He completed his own Grand Slam at the 2023 Masters, having fallen in love with the sport at his hometown club of Okehampton and on the links of nearby Bude & North Cornwall.

Associate Editor