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Joy’s Dubai Desert Classic diary: Gary Player ages like fine wine, Rory McIlroy talks Super Bowl

Joy Chakravarty

21:20 07/02/2016

Last year in November, Gary Player turned 80. But if you are expecting him to be slow down any soon, perish the thought.

The nine-time major champion from South Africa revealed during an interaction with the media that he is already making his plans for the next 20 years.

In his own inimitable style, Player said: “I’m thinking to myself right now, I’m 80, what do I do for the next 20 years. I’m not saying, am I going to die at 85, am I going to die at 86? Hell… I beat most guys at 40 in the gym at 80, so why should I think about dying?

“I could have an accident or get a disease, but I’m thinking, I’m planning; I’m making my plans for the next 20 years, designing golf courses, raising $100 million for underprivileged people in the world, representing a lot of companies now…I make more money today as an 80-year-old than I made when I was in my prime!

“I have many desires still at 80 years of age, when most people are sitting on their fat bums and dying.”

Rory and Super Bowl

While Sunday did not go as per plans for Rory McIlroy, he was hoping to be able to catch up on Super Bowl 50 while 38,000 feet in the air and see his good friend Peyton Manning lead Denver Broncos to a win.

Asked if he was planning to watch the Super Bowl and which team he’d be backing, McIlroy said: “I will be flying back to the States when the Super Bowl gets underway, but we’ll have live TV so I will get to see coverage.

“I am a big fan of both the Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers but then I would love to see the Broncos win, if only for Peyton Manning to go out of the game on top.

“That would be awesome if that happened.”

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