Horan: 'Days off on tour are based on where there's good golf!'

Niall Horan’s handicap has taken a hit after a busy start to 2026, but the global superstar hopes his upcoming world tour will give him more time back on the golf course.

Horan headlined Tuesday's pro-am at Royal Lytham & St Annes ahead of the AIG Women's Open, live on Sky Sports, where he played alongside Solheim Cup star Maja Stark, R&A chief executive Mark Darbon and social media star Georgia Ball.

The former One Direction star is an avid golfer who played off a handicap of 10 for the event, having previously been at "around eight" when playing more regularly, with Horan relishing the opportunity to tee it up at one of the most iconic courses on the Open roster.

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"I'd never had the privilege of playing this place before and Royal Lytham & St Annes is obviously one of those bucket list places," Horan exclusively told Sky Sports. "I loved it.

"To come here and play it in tournament condition, ahead of the AIG Women's Open, was just an incredible experience. It's a really tough test that is going to make for a good tournament.

"I played alright, considering the lack of golf in my life at the moment."

Horan released his fourth studio album - Dinner Party - on June 5, with work finalising his latest No 1 success and promoting its release leaving few opportunities for golf.

"I've probably played six rounds this year, which is not a lot for my handicap," Horan explained. "The lack of golf means I've lost a couple of shots.

"I've been busy this year, so I haven't played as much as I usually do. I can either shoot six or seven over, or I can shoot mid-eighties - it's a tough one for me to get into.

"Sometimes it feels like I'm picking up a set of sledgehammers after a while out of it, but I'll get back in the flow of it over the next few weeks. I've got some time off now before I get into rehearsals for the tour, so I might play a bit of golf."

Horan's "Dinner Party Live On Tour" concerts begin in Birmingham on September 22 and cover the UK, Ireland and mainland Europe across the autumn, with the tour heading to Australia in February before shows across North America from March to May.

"Funnily enough, when you're on tour, I know what my days look like and it's all planned out," Horan added. "I can actually get a little bit more golf in than I would when I'm in the middle of a promotional run or something like that.

"I'll try and get ahead, now that I know what the schedule looks like, and see if I can tick off a few courses on the way around.

"I'm excited to get back down to Australia, try and get a couple more on the Sandbelt down there. I played Royal Melbourne the last time, so Kingston Heath or something would be lovely down there.

"Then in the States, I'll have to have a proper think. On the tour, the days off are based on where there's good golf - it's the truth!"

Horan is the founder of Modest! Golf and has been an R&A ambassador since 2021, with the singer-songwriter a keen supporter of growing the game at all levels and regularly promoting the benefits golf offers.

The AIG Women's Open has seen its prize money more than triple since the tournament was last held at Royal Lytham in 2018, with a record prize purse available for this year's edition, with Horan pleased to see the event's continued growth.

"It's mad and I think in the last five or six years, this event [AIG Women's Open] has just gotten huge," Horan said. "It's just massive and rightly so, because the quality of golf has never been better in the women's game, in my opinion.

"We've got the best in the world here this week at great test of golf, but it's what they deserve. The quality of golf has translated to a huge event with many massive sponsors and the girls are getting the reward."

When is the AIG Women's Open on Sky Sports?

Sky Sports remains the exclusive home of the AIG Women's Open in the UK and Ireland, with Featured Groups coverage available for the first time and six hours more of live action on Sky Sports than ever before.

Featured Groups coverage begins at 9am on Thursday and Friday on Sky Sports Golf, ahead of full coverage getting under way at 1pm, with live coverage of rounds three and four then beginning at midday over the weekend.

Who will win the AIG Women's Open? Watch throughout the week live on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream golf and more with no contract.