Image courtesy of BBC
Tony Jacklin
Golf Legend and former Ryder Cup Captain
Age: 69.
Professional partner: Aliona Vilani.
Bookies original odds: 66 to 1.
I’m at the time of my life when I thought why not! I love music and I do think I’ve got a sense of rhythm. Now it’s very close I just want to get stuck into it
Tony Jacklin is one of Britain’s most successful golfers, having won twenty-seven tournaments including the British Open in 1969 and the US Open in 1970. He is also the most successful European Ryder Cup captain ever, having captained the team four times.
Tony was raised in Scunthorpe and only had one career in mind. He picked up a golf club aged nine as he caddied for his truck driver father. He briefly trained as a steelworker but turned golf pro at the age of 17 and won his first tournament aged 20.
Tony was the first person to hit a televised hole-in-one in Britain. He is still active in golf and designs golf courses around the world. He was awarded an OBE in 1990.
Tony now lives in Florida and is married with six grown-up children.
With odds of 66 to one the bookies don’t think he will be around long in Strictly. However, knowing his competitive nature he may well surprise us all/
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