An Australian amateur golf championship is well within Ash Barty’s grasp, but taking to the tour full-time is unlikely according to Australian legend Karrie Webb.
Barty said “we’ll wait and see” when peppered with questions about her future this week after he shock retirement from tennis.
Golf loomed large in those future prospects given Barty lives on a golf course, her soon-to-be husband, Garry Kissick, was a trainee professional when they met and she already has a club golf championship on her CV.
Webb has only played with Barty once and was quick to acknowledge the three-time tennis grand slam winner had all the tools to be a golfing success.
But Webb, who on Friday was announced as the new captain of the Australian Olympic golf team for Paris 2024, doubts Barty has touring as a pro in mind.
“I don’t think I’ll have to get in her ear to start playing more golf. I think Ash will definitely get into her golf now,” Webb said.
“I’ve only had the opportunity to play with her once and it wasn’t going to take much for her to be kicking my butt.
“But I don’t see Ash wanting to do a sport where she has to travel the world. That’s part of what she didn’t like about tennis was being away from Australia.
“I wouldn’t put it past her to be Australian amateur champion one day. I can see her working on her game and being good enough to be one of the best players in Australia for sure.”
Barty famously impressed Tiger Woods with her swing during a promotional event for the Presidents Cup in 2019 when she was supposed to play in a teams event with the late, great Shane Warne.
“She’s got a great swing, are you kidding me?” Woods said after Barty lofted a wedge into the Yarra River.
Addressing her next move this week, Barty was conscious of the speculation but noncommittal about anything, including golf.
“We’ll wait and see,” Barty said.
“I‘ve got to try and learn how to hit the middle of the club face before I can think of trying to get on the tour.
“I love sport. I‘m a sport nut, like a lot of Australians are. I’ll be lured xjmtzywto it.
“I have always been an athlete in the sense of trying different things, but we‘ll see how we go.”
