Andrei Shevchenko to make his golf debut this Thursday

NEW BALL GAME: Shevchenko is set to try his hand at golf

Ex-footballer Andrei Shevchenko is all set to make his golf debut on Thursday in the second-tier Challenge Tour, The Telegraph reports.

The former Ukraine international is set to face former Ryder Cup player Oliver Wilson and ex-European Tour champion Nick Dougherty at the Kharkov Superior Cup in Ukraine, the country of his birth.

“This is the first big event for me and of course it is the first event in Ukraine so it’s a huge event for golf in this country,” Shevchenko said.

“I have played with many good players in Pro-Ams but this is different. I hope I play well. But I just want to have a good time and enjoy the week.”

The tournament will be played at the Superior Golf and Spa Resort in Kharkov and the winner will get €200,000 in prize money.

“The course is quite difficult,” said the ex-AC Milan striker.

“I’m happy with my game at the moment. I know the president of the club, he is a good friend and his daughter has been caddying for me.

“He invited me to come and I had to. It’s nice the Challenge Tour have decided to come here.”

Shevchenko has had an illustrious career in football. He had maximum success with Italian club AC Milan scoring 127 goals, becoming the club’s second highest all time goal scorer along with an unsuccessful three year spell at Chelsea. He had a one year loan spell back at Milan after which he returned to his youth club Dynamo Kyiv. He collected 111 caps for his country scoring 48 goals.