LOST THE DRIVE
‘This is the end of the world’ – Gary Lineker opens up on health condition that forced him to give up favourite hobby
BBC host still loves one aspect of the sport
GARY LINEKER has opened up about his struggles with arthritis - which has forced him to give up golf.
The presenter was a regular on the greens and he still enjoys watching the pros.
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But after a flare up of arthritis in lockdown he quit the sport because he could no longer hold a club.
Lineker, 64, has opened up on his decision to quit golf, revealing he does not miss playing as much as he thought he would.
He said on : "No, I don't, no. My finger is a bit arthritic.
"I hurt my wrist hitting a root, and it damaged it. I couldn't play for six months.
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"I was like, 'Oh, this is the end of the world. Then, a month later, I'm thinking 'I don't miss it at all.
"I loved it - but I didn't really like myself on the golf course. I used to big myself up quite a lot and get miserable all the time.
"When I went back to playing, I was struggling, and after three hours, I was thinking, 'God, I've got another four-and-a-half hours of this!' So I just stopped, and I actually don't miss it. It's really weird."
Lineker presented the BBC’s coverage of golf’s majors from 2005 to 2010 and played off a handicap of four.
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Now he spends his time watching and last week shared his excitement of The Masters.
He said: "This time of year is great, but the Masters is special, isn't it? I actually always put it in my diary, put it in, the four nights so I don't make them [busy] because I've done that in the past.
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"When you suddenly go, 'I booked dinner on Sunday night, oh my god, it's Masters Sunday.'"
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