Not a Professional Golfer, Niall Horan 'Ex-One Direction' Makes Impressive Showing at Augusta National

Golf and celebrities seem to go hand in hand in the modern era, as the sport is once again enjoying a surge in popularity not seen in a long time.

Golf has always been a major sport, but with the rise of YouTube and the involvement of big names in America such as Steph Curry and, more recently, LeBron James, it demonstrates How broad and significant golf's appeal is today.

Of course, figures like Michael Jordan and Justin Timberlake are also known as golf enthusiasts, as important personalities from various industries have started to take up the sport.

One figure who in recent years has taken up golf seriously is former One Direction band member, Niall Horan.

The Irish singer has frequently appeared and taken part in various pro-am tournaments in recent years and, objectively, he is a Golfer who is more than just capable.

Nevertheless, he is still not a professional and, like most amateur golfers, inconsistency still often occurs.

However, Horan is among the fortunate individuals who have played at Augusta National. When discussing the score he recorded on the course that hosts The Masters tournament, the result is considered quite impressive.

Niall Horan's Performance When Playing Golf at Augusta National

Horan is known as a very enthusiastic golfer and has spent a considerable amount of time in recent years improving and honing his skills.

As part of the celebrity Lifestyle, he gets opportunities that most people don't have, one of which is the chance to play at Augusta National.

When he first got that opportunity, Horan performed quite well.

“The things I can do through golf are truly amazing. But yeah, I'm quite lucky to have played at Augusta a few times now. You know the feeling of playing a course and then saying, ‘okay, I've done it, check that off the list’, but this course is truly on a different planet. There's nothing like it in the world. It's like a picture of heaven,” Horan previously stated.

“The first time I played there, I stood on the 18th hole with a par target to score 78, but I ended up with a double bogey on the last hole. I scored 80, which actually isn't too bad, eight over par. But now I'm a much better golfer, so my big goal is to break 80.”

“If you treat it like a regular Golf Course, the course is actually playable for scoring. But it's very hard to think of it as just a regular course. When you stand on the first tee, your grip tightens and everything feels tense, because you always want to play well on a great course. You end up burdened just by thinking about it.”

As The Masters slowly approaches as we head towards 2026, it will be interesting to see if Horan can indeed record a score below 80 if he plays there again.

If that happens, he deserves to be called a truly proficient golfer.