MLS star Ronnie turns hand to golf

FROM the Old Lady of Turin to the Old American Golf Club of Texas, Ronnie O’Brien’s remarkable sporting career has taken another unlikely twist.

After 12 years as a professional footballer, which took the former Republic of Ireland U21 international from Middlesbrough to Juventus and on to Major League Soccer, O’Brien, 32, has been hired as an assistant golf pro at one of the most acclaimed courses in Texas.

Selected by both Golf Magazine and Golfweek among its ‘Best New’ course choices of 2010, the Old American Golf Club is close to Dallas, where midfielder O’Brien spent five seasons with the city’s MLS franchise and was regularly voted onto the league’s annual All-Star team.

The Bray native also played for Toronto FC and the San Jose Earthquakes before he retired in 2008. Having returned to Dallas, he began developing a love for golf into a new profession.

“When I was playing soccer, I spent a lot of my downtime on the golf course with teammates,” O’Brien said.

“I fell in love with the game and making it a career felt like a natural progression once my soccer days were over.”

As an assistant golf pro, O’Brien’s duties will include instruction and day-to-day course operations and his new boss has been impressed with his new staff member.

“To be able to play soccer professionally and then switch to golf so seamlessly is remarkable,” PGA professional and club general manager Jeff Kindred said.

“His experience as a world-class athlete and golf acumen will further our goal of establishing The Old American as the best place to play in Texas.”