Dumbfounded by His Own Hot Start at $6M Event, Former Ryder Cup Hero Leaves the Golf World Buzzing With His Unexpectedly ‘Silly’ Take

Published 09/08/2023, 7:00 AM EDT

The DP Tour is back with a $6 million Horizon Irish Open taking place at The K Club in Co. Kildare, Ireland. A legend sparkled at the end of day one at the 2023 Irish Open, leading a majority of the field against against all odds. What’s even more intriguing? He himself seemed taken aback by his own performance on the course.

It’s been a long stretch since this esteemed golfer celebrated his 15th European Tour title, almost a decade ago. His post-round interview received varied fan reactions around the world. What did he say in his interview that made the golf world laugh as well as admire his wisdom? Let’s find out.

A remarkable return of the legend!

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The golfing community was in for a humorous surprise when Thomas Bjørn, a legend of the DP World Tour, took to the greens after 10 weeks. Most would expect a professional golfer to aim for a strong comeback after an injury-forced break but Bjørn candidly admitted otherwise, “I said to Chris this morning when we walked to the first tee ‘Let’s try to see if we can break 90’. And after nine holes I said ‘I’ve got to shoot 56 on the back nine to break 90, so we’ll be all right”.

Instead, the 52-year-old golfer delivered an astonishing 66 in the first round of the 2023 Horizon Irish Open, placing him in an enviable position. Bjørn is no newcomer to The K Club, the host venue. Having clinched a victory in 2006 and played the European Open there several times in the late 1990s and 2000s, he understands its intricacies.

In a candid conversation after his round, Bjørn reflected on the unpredictability of the sport, saying, “I came here, I’ve got no feelings for the game, and it just shows how silly this game can be. You can work hard for weeks and go out and shoot bad scores. Expectations sometimes get in the way of professional golf, and then you just go out and enjoy yourself, you’re just happy to be on the golf course after so long.”

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He further added that he has no expectations for Friday’s game and he will try to maintain the momentum and score well. His familiarity, combined with his seasoned skill, led him to notch seven birdies, with just a single bogey on his scorecard.

“Crazy” Mr. T makes a lot of sense, to say the least

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Fans from around the world had varied reactions to the interview. One admirer remarked, “Fantastic to see him playing well. He’s absolutely right. Golf can be a silly game if you get too wrapped up in it. Go out there and enjoy yourself and good scores follow.” This sentiment was echoed by others, with comments like, “Thomas is one of a kind!” and “So much golf wisdom in these words.” Another fan shared, “I Love when Thomas has that smile on his face. Fantastic round of “silly” golf.”

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However, some comments touched on other aspects. A fan quipped, “Can’t be surprised with that polo on.” While another fondly reminisced, “Legend. Had the pleasure of meeting him in Fota, was it 2001 or so, stood for a pic no problem. One of my favorite players.” One fan said: “Best #captain ever.”

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There was also a lighthearted comment, “Crazy Mr. T.” The diversity of responses showcased the wide spectrum of feelings fans hold for the golfer. What are your thoughts on this, let us know in the comments below.

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Written by:

Dimple Nakar is a budding golf writer at EssentiallySports. The job brings together two of her strongest passions: writing and golf. Dimple’s love for the sport extends far beyond the main players like Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson; she also has immense love for the growth golf is currently seeing through LIV Golf and the merger of the two sides.

Edited by:

Prateek Srivastava

Dumbfounded by His Own Hot Start at $6M Event, Former Ryder Cup Hero Leaves the Golf World Buzzing With His Unexpectedly ‘Silly’ Take

A remarkable return of the legend!

“Crazy” Mr. T makes a lot of sense, to say the least

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