It’s great fun out here, says pop superstar Ronan Keating at Dubai Invitational Pro-Am

Dubai: Irish pop icon Ronan Keating said it was great fun out in the middle after he teed it up in the Dubai Invitational Pro-Am.

The former Boyzone frontman, who has sold more than 25 million records worldwide with chart-topping anthems including “Life is a Rollercoaster” and “When You Say Nothing At All,” has been a regular on the Pro-Am circuit for over three decades.

Now calling Dubai home after relocating to the emirate a couple of years ago, the 9-handicapper has made numerous appearances at the prestigious Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland.

For someone who has previously revealed that if he could pursue any other career, it would be as a professional golfer, the Dubai Invitational provided another opportunity to showcase his skills alongside the world’s best.

“It’s great fun (out there), it’s a great course and the weather is beautiful in Dubai during this time of the year,” said Keating, who captivated a packed crowd at Dubai Media City Amphitheatre just a few months ago with his greatest hits.

“It’s been a great day, I got up this morning, dropped the kids to school and then came down here for a round of golf!”

Ahead of the second edition of the opening event on the International Swing, Keating competed alongside Race to Dubai leader Jayden Schaper, witnessing firsthand the South African’s exceptional talent that has saw him claim back-to-back titles last month in South Africa and Mauritius.

“He’s a hell of a golfer,” said Keating of his playing partner. “Great young man, who is so talented. He hits the ball so beautifully and he’s just so easy to be around as well.

“I’ve been lucky to play with a lot of pros, and you can kind of sense on a day like today what they’re like going into the rest of the week and how they use days like this. He’s just got a great head on his shoulders. He is going to be a special golfer that fella.”

Dubai’s world-class golf offerings have become a major draw for Keating, who spends six months of the year in the emirate and the remainder in Sydney, Australia.

“I love Emirates Golf Club, love it here at the Creek. I mean there’s so many great options — Els Club and then some in Abu Dhabi as well. There’s just so many great courses all round — if you’re into your golf, there’s no better place to be,” he added.

The Dubai Invitational is the opening event on the Race to Dubai’s International Swing and is played concurrently with a three-day Pro-Am team event, with Sunday featuring professionals only. The bi-annual event consists of 60 professional DP World Tour golfers and 60 amateur golfers.