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ALAN SHEARER: Football legend talks golf ahead of International Series England
Kicking off on Saturday 12 August 2023 the arrival of the Premier League 2023-24 season spells a slew of familiar activity for football fans across the UK.
Not least of which is tuning in to Match of the Day for a weekly fix of the country’s topflight teams where regular pundit, and ex Newcastle United and England striker, Alan Shearer often joins to wax lyrical about the week’s football action.
However, the Premier League’s all-time top goalscorer is soon to be swapping goals for golf, as he headlines the Celebrity ProAm on Wednesday 16 August ahead of the Asian Tour’s International Series England event at Close House, Newcastle, on 17-20 August
The Alan Shearer Foundation has been selected as the event’s charity partner, combining two of the Euro ’96 Golden Boot winner’s other passions: philanthropy and golf.
How do you feel about International Series England being contested in your home city of Newcastle?
It is great that the region gets to see the best golfers to play at Close House. We were lucky enough to have the British Masters and now we are excited to have the International Series England there too.
How significant is the support of organisations like The International Series to the Alan Shearer Foundation?
It is amazing The International Series has chosen to support the Alan Shearer Foundation this week. We are so grateful because every penny counts as the foundation provides services free of charge. It is so helpful that people are so generous especially in these tough times.
What is your favourite club in the bag and why?
My pitching wedge… I feel less can go wrong.
Ex-Middlesbrough and Sunderland Captain, Lee Cattermole, is also playing in the ProAm. Will there be a bit of competitiveness and rivalry there?
With sports men and women, there will ALWAYS be competitiveness. It is how we earn our living so, YES, there will be!
Most people will be familiar with your Match of the Day role but how do you spend your time when you are not doing punditry?
I spend most of my time on the golf course or travelling.
Who would be in your dream fourball?
Tiger Woods, Sir Nick Faldo and Ernie Els – imagine the stories?! (Good and bad)!
Do you have any superstitions when you play golf? Have you transferred any of these over to golf from your football days?
The only thing I had to do before a game was spend 10 minutes stretching my back and I have to do the same for golf or I would suffer afterwards and it’s getting worse the older I get!
How can people support the Alan Shearer Foundation during International Series England?
By being their usual generous selves. Go on the website alanshearerfoundation.org.uk and PLEASE donate.
Do you have anything else to say about your foundation, or any golfing stories you think would be of interest to people?
First of all, my foundation means more to me than all the goals and trophies that I won.
I did beat Lee Westwood 6&5 in Portugal once! Although he may have been worse for wear from the night before
