Andy Murray reveals next career goal with £12.5million target in his sights
Andy Murray has been obsessed with golf since retiring from tennis and the former two-time Wimbledon champion is now targeting qualifying for The Open Championship
Tennis legend Andy Murray is setting his sights on qualifying for The Open Championship in 2026 following a growing passion for golf.
The two-time Wimbledon winner has become engrossed in the sport since retiring from tennis. He's been working hard to reduce his handicap from seven to two in recent months, with an aim to become a scratch golfer.
Not only has he updated his X profile bio to 'I played tennis. I now play golf', but Murray will also be participating in The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews next month as he takes on top-level competition.
Speaking on The Chipping Forecast podcast recently, Murray revealed he is eyeing The Open. The major tournament boasts an overall prize fund of £12.5million.
"I have been playing a lot, practicing a lot, but I want to start playing more competitions and handing in more cards," Murray said. "I have played quite a lot of social golf recently and I don't think it's necessarily the best way to get better. I love the competitive side of playing in competitions and that's why I want to try and do that more."
Asked if he would like to take on the challenge of The Open, he said: "Yeah, I mean, I would like to do that. A couple of my friends have done it, they're into golf.
"I think it's quite interesting when other athletes do that, because I'm aware, because I was an athlete myself, that I'm a terrible golfer relative to a professional golfer.
"You know, lots of amateur sports fans often feel like, 'Oh, well, you know, if you played more golf, or if I played more golf, I could be a professional golfer,' or whatever. And I just feel like I understand that a scratch golfer is a good golfer, but the difference between a scratch golfer and a professional is huge.
"You know, it's huge. And I don't think loads of amateurs necessarily understand that, but I'm not expecting that I would qualify for The Open, but I think going through that process and trying to do it would be fun."
Murray, who is said to have a golf simulator installed at his residence, is targeting a scratch handicap - with those holding such status able to fork out £200 to enter regional qualifying for The Open.
Ahead of the tournament at Royal Birkdale on Merseyside next year, qualifying will be held at 15 venues across the UK and Ireland. The tennis legend has been in contention at Wednesday's star-laden BMW PGA Championship Pro-Am at Wentworth.
Billy Horschel is the defending champion in the event that runs from Thursday to Sunday. Murray is lining up with the American star, alongside former footballers Gareth Bale and Teddy Sheringham.
However, speaking on taking to St Andrews in October, Murray said: "I'm really looking forward to this. It’s very special to be able to play in a full-blown professional event.
"And for a Scot like me to be able to do it in Scotland at such a unique location makes it even more exceptional. In many ways, the Old Course at St Andrews is very like Centre Court at Wimbledon."
The three-time Grand Slam champion called it a day on the court in 2024 after competing for Team GB at the Paris Olympics last year. He won two Wimbledon titles and The US Open in his glittering career.