Music superstar Niall Horan on a mission to turn millions of followers into golf fans ahead of AIG Women’s Open

Niall Horan’s passion for golf is well-documented – but he is so much more to the game than Rory McIlroy’s famous pal.

Golf fans are used to seeing the Irish solo singer at the biggest events, perhaps most notably when he caddied for McIlroy at Augusta’s Par 3 contest in 2015. 

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What they do not see, however, is Horan’s tireless effort to help grow the women’s game. 

The former One Direction star is the founder of ‘Modest! Golf’ – a management agency which – among other things – works alongside the R&A to help elevate the AIG Women’s Open. 

Ahead of this week’s 50th anniversary at Royal Lytham & St Anne’s, Horan is trying to get just some of his 32.4 million Instagram followers into golf – and it’s working.

“Obviously with a lot of my fans being young ladies and a lot of my followers online, if I can get a small percentage of them [into golf], that’s my bit,” he told talkSPORT.com.

“That’s all I can ask is people to pick up clubs and give the game a go and that’s where I’m trying to help. 

“With Modest! Golf we have five players playing in the field this week at the AIG Women’s Open and that’s dream come true stuff for me. 

“To start the company 10-11 years ago and to have be at Lytham & St Anne’s, one of the most famous courses in the world, with five players in the field.

“It’s pretty special for me. It’s mind-blowing.”

Horan added: “People would say it to me on the street when I’ve been at ladies events like this, you’ll see people turn around and say that they started watching golf because of me or they picked up a club because of me.

“I’m not going to take full credit. I mean, they have to put their eyes on it and then like it for themselves subjectively. 

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“But for me to be able to have the outlet to put them in front of the game and then let the girls do the job is important to me. 

“It’s a game for life. It’s a game I’ve been playing all my life and hopefully I can play forever.

“People need to get their eyeballs on golf. It’s such a great sport and the talent in the ladies at the minute is just off the scale.

“I played with Maja Stark yesterday, a major champion, and it was just… it’s mind-blowing how talented these girls are and they’re starting to get the rewards for it. 

“Big prize funds, big sponsors – because the quality of golf is there and people are starting to open their eyes to it.”

Learned from the best?

Although Horan himself currently plays off a modest 10 handicap, he is talking from experience, having played alongside career grand slam winner McIlroy. 

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And Horan recalled another mesmerising experience playing alongside the back-to-back Masters champion.

The 32-year-old said: “Some of the off-course moments that we’ve had, where I just see Rory as a pal and we’ll have dinner or a night out or something like that, or play around the golf and I just get to see him in his most relaxed way – those are probably the ones that I remember the most really. 

“I played golf with him a couple of years ago in Toronto and it was the first time I’d ever played with him.

“I saw him play some of the best golf I’ve ever seen because he was just a completely relaxed version of Rory. 

“The minute you have to give a scorecard to someone, I think it turns into a different story.”

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And of course, while he may be one of the most influential, Horan is far from the only celebrity who is obsessed with golf.

But who is the best he has come across – away from the professionals? 

“Gareth Bale is pretty impressive. He’s a proper quality player,” Horan continued. 

“I think he’s turned into a golfer now he’s in his retirement. There’s been some great ones. Who else is great?

“Justin Timberlake is a great golfer, but I’d say Gareth Bale. 

“And I haven’t played with him yet… but apparently Harry Kane is off the charts as well.”

Horan is off on tour in September following the release of his latest album ‘Dinner Party’. 

How does a golf obsessive balance touring the world and keeping their handicap down?  

“I play most of my golf on tour,” Horan admits. “To be honest, because my schedule is cemented a year-and-a-half out, and I know where my days off are going to be, and I know where the golf courses that I want to play are… 

“I need to sit down and work out my golf routing on the music tour. 

“I’ll probably be playing my best stuff in a couple of months when I get on the road.”