Ash Barty to join Pep Guardiola and Harry Kane in exhibition golf tournament

The prospect of Ashleigh Barty embarking on a new golf career has heightened after the retired tennis star confirmed she had signed up for the Icons Series alongside the likes of Harry Kane and Pep Guardiola. Barty, 25, left people stunned in March when she announced she was stepping away from her sport, despite being the world No 1 and reigning Wimbledon and Australian Open champion.

Barty, also a French Open champion in 2019, said "the time is right now for me to step away and chase other dreams." Many assumed she would then resurrect her cricket career, having already taken an 18-month hiatus from tennis in 2014 and represented the Western Suburbs and then the Brisbane Heat in the Women's Big Bash League [T20].

However, she's already won a ladies golf tournament in Queensland just over two weeks after walking away from tennis, but wasn't done there. And now she's confirmed she's entered the Icon Series exhibition tournament at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey, on June 30 and July 1.

Barty is far from the only star on show though, with Pep Guardiola, Harry Kane, Michael Phelps and Oscar De La Hoya also involved. Indeed, Guardiola recently lamented the recent scheduling of the Man City v Liverpool game, which meant he couldn't watch Tiger Woods at The Masters.

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Kane actually hot-footed it out to Augusta in time to watch the final day, and was a guest pundit for Sky Sports. The Tottenham striker has also never made any secret of his love of the game, and it seems Barty is excited about the prospect of joining fellow stars.

"I'm excited to be part of the Icons Series and I hope through my participation