Not even three months since Andy Murray announced his retirement from professional tennis, the Scots sporting icon has already thrown himself passionately into his new love – golf.
He may have hung up his rackets, but he’s been teeing off at multiple tournaments, showing his long-standing passion for the golf course is now taking centre stage.
In his illustrious tennis career, Andy clinched 46 titles with two Wimbledon crowns and a US Open to his name, alongside three Olympic medals – retiring as one of the sport’s all-time greats. Yet off the court, family is paramount; he’s embracing the chance for quality time with his wife Kim and their four children, as they start a fresh and exciting chapter.
Since stepping away from the limelight of the Olympics in early August, Murray has aimed high on the golfing greens, diligently working towards scoring a scratch handicap. Even on social media, he’s embraced this transition, swapping his Twitter bio from “I play tennis” to the more current “I played tennis. I now play golf.”
Presently boasting a seven handicap, Andy made an impressive entrance in the world of golf at the esteemed BMW PGA Championship’s Pro-Am in Wentworth last month. Following that, he competed at the first-ever BTJA Mike Dickson Golf Day held at the Hanbury Manor Golf Club in Hertfordshire, reports Wales Online.
The British Tennis Journalists’ Association has commemorated the late Daily Mail journalist Mike Dickson by hosting a special event, with Andy Murray emerging as the victor. Scottish golfer Robert MacIntyre, who played alongside Murray at Wentworth, was left impressed, remarking: “For someone that’s not really played that much, I thought he was good. I was very impressed with his game. He’ll be scratch in no time.”
Discussing his foray into golf tournaments, Murray shared his different experience of nerves compared to tennis, saying: “It’s a different sort of nerves, because you are comfortable in the sort of tennis environment. I’m not thinking I’m going to walk out on the tennis court and forget how to hit the ball.”
He continued, expressing his concern about driving the ball with spectators nearby: “Whereas here, there’s people standing five metres away from where I’m driving, and I’m like, I’m useless at this game. You just want to try and keep the ball in play and don’t mess up too much.”
Murray acknowledged his advantage in practising the sport: “I’m obviously getting to practice a lot more than the average person,” and added optimism about improving his game with the right guidance: “I obviously played a bit when I was younger, and if I can get the right sort of lessons and practise the right things, then yeah, I’ve got a chance of doing that.”
Earlier this year, when asked about his retirement plans, Murray expressed a desire to focus on family life: “I don’t know exactly what the rest of my life will look like, but I will still stay in touch with the sport. Initially, I want to be at home with my family. I want to spend a lot of time with my kids and my wife, so I won’t be on the road much, I know that.”
“I’ll play a lot of golf,” he continued. “I want to become a scratch golfer. I’ve always loved playing golf, but because of the issues with my back, I haven’t played for five or six years. I would also love to be part of the next Olympics in some capacity, but I don’t have any clear plans on what it is I’m going to do from a work perspective.”
Andy Murray has been happily married to Kim Sears since 2015.
They had first crossed paths ten years prior at a US Open party. It was almost nine years of dating before they got married in Dunblane, Murray’s hometown.
The road wasn’t always smooth; they did have a brief separation in 2009, during which time Kim ‘won custody’ of their beloved dog, Maggie. However, following a hiatus of six months, the couple rekindled.
Murray later confessed: “I work better in a relationship. At the end of the day, especially if I’ve lost a match, I don’t like talking about tennis, so it’s nice to have someone to talk to about other stuff.”
The couple now joyfully navigates the adventures of parenting their four children – eight year old Sophia, six year old Edie, four year old Teddy, and three year old Lola. Kim is often spotted cheering on her husband at his tennis matches as well as supporting him off the court.
The pair have been proprietors of the chic Cromlix House Hotel since 2013, a venue that holds special significance as their wedding location. In addition to hospitality, Kim showcases her artistic talent through her former website ‘Brushes and Paws,’ where she used to share her animal and floral portraits.
The tennis champion has repeatedly expressed appreciation for his wife’s steadfast support, once revealing to the New York Times: “She doesn’t like being in the newspapers, and people commenting on what she’s wearing and how she looks, and those sorts of things. That’s one of the things that I guess she’s also sacrificed, a little bit, for our relationship, and I appreciate that a lot.”
Murray highlighted the solidity of their bond, reflecting: “You’re in these huge cities meeting new people all the time and it would be easy to get your head turned,” and commended Kim’s unwavering support: “But Kim’s always been there for me. She really cares about me and helps with so many things. She always has. That’s why we have such a great relationship.”
However, Kim’s fervent enthusiasm overflowed during Murray’s 2015 Wimbledon semi-final victory over Tomas Berdych. Cameras caught Kim famously exclaiming from the stands in a moment of unchecked passion, much to the surprise of the live TV audience: “F****** have that you flash Czech f***”.
Murray came to her defence after the match, remarking: “When there’s a lot of tension surrounding something, which you [the media] created [by referring to the fact his former assistant coach Dani Vallverdu then coached Berdych], then it’s completely normal.”
He continued: “The whole first set everyone was tight. My physical trainer, physio, I’m sure for Dani it was uncomfortable. Even Tomas, who very rarely says anything on the court, there was tension there for him, as well. Yeah, in the heat of the moment you can say stuff that you regret. And, yeah, that’s it.”
However, the situation lightened as Kim sported a T-shirt at the men’s final with the words ‘Parental Advisory: Explicit Content’. Murray, having been honoured with a knighthood in the Queen’s New Year Honours the following year, quipped about his wife needing to watch her language now that she would become a Lady, joking: “She’s going to have to [do] no more swearing during my matches any more, for any of you who saw that a few years ago.”
As one of tennis’ most triumphant figures, Murray has amassed over £50million in prize money throughout his distinguished career. This sum is augmented by his considerable income from endorsement deals and sponsorships, collaborating with prestigious brands such as Jaguar, Castore, Under Armour, and Head.
His portfolio extends to partnerships with Amazon Prime Video, Standard Life, and American Express among others.
Celebrity Net Worth estimates that these lucrative deals and winnings have boosted his net worth to around £85 million, although some reckon it could be closer to the £100 million mark. Besides co-owning a hotel with Kim, Murray has also invested in other properties such as a plush £5 million Surrey mansion and a swanky flat in Miami.
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