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Henni Zuel says golf’s dress code policy is ‘a barrier to entry’ - Getty Images/Richard Heathcote
Henni Zuel became the youngest player to play on the Ladies European Tour in 2003 – aged just 13 – but she had to retire 12 years later because of injuries. Now she has moved into broadcasting, working with Tiger Woods for former streaming service GOLFTV before joining Sky Sports. Here she discusses changing careers, dress codes and historical fiction…
How did you find covering the Masters and Rory McIlroy’s win?
Incredible. Unbelievable. It was the first sporting event I’ve ever shed a tear at. It is always something special working on a Masters, but with Rory and the way everything unfolded… It is not just about sport but a metaphor for life and overcoming hurdles. We can all see ourselves in terms of messing up, having multiple chances and then ultimately triumphing. He put us through the whole range of emotions.
Do you expect McIlroy to win more majors now he has ended his duck?
One hundred per cent. That is the exciting thing. He had one question that needed answering and he has answered it in quite impressive fashion. The PGA Championship is at Quail Hollow, which is like a home venue for him, the Open is at Portrush, there is the Ryder Cup. We have been awed by his game for decades and now he is posting results that match up to that. It will be exciting to see what he can achieve going forward.
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McIlroy’s emotional Masters win brought Zuel to tears - Getty Images/Michael Reaves
How have you found the switch from golfer to broadcaster?
It’s been a journey. Initially I found it tough because I was covering women’s golf and I wanted to still be playing [Zuel had to retire in 2015 because of injury]. Then I switched to men’s golf and went through different roles like interviewer and on-course commentator, and now I’m presenting in the studio, which I love.
What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you on air?
I’m a really clumsy person and technically things can go wrong, but probably the most embarrassed I’ve been ahead of doing an interview is the first time I interviewed Tiger Woods. I almost missed the interview because I didn’t expect him to come so quickly. I went to the bathroom and when I came back I found him waiting for me by the Sky cart. He’s a nice guy. That was long before I worked with him.
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Zuel worked with Tiger Woods for GOLFTV before joining Sky Sports - Getty Images/David Cannon
Golf has a reputation for being elitist. How do you make it more inclusive?
Socio-economic factors are huge. There is a high barrier for entry; you can go to a park and kick a football and you don’t need any equipment. For golf, you need clubs, clothing, membership and access. For the longevity of the sport, to secure future generations, it needs to diversify in many different pillars. On a personal level, the work I do with Steph Curry and the Underrated Golf Tour is huge for inclusion and making golf more diverse.
What is the one rule you would like to change in golf?
Dress code, without question. They should be abolished, there should not be one. It is a barrier to entry.
Who is the one person you would like to meet, dead or alive?
Muhammad Ali. I have a “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” tattoo on my right arm. I admire him for the way he was an athlete, the hard work, the accessibility, the showmanship – he was the Seve [Ballesteros] of the boxing world. I also really admire how he stood up for what he believed in, even though he literally ended up in prison for it.
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Zuel had to retire in 2015 because of injury - Getty Images/Ben Hoskins
Describe yourself in three words.
Calm, curious, outdoorsy. I love being outside.
If you had a time machine, would you go back in time or go to the future?
Back in time. I love history and I’m a total bookworm, specifically historical fiction around the early 1900s.
What is the best book you have ever read?
Kate Morton’s The Forgotten Garden. She is my favourite author. I read a lot of non-fiction as well but I love getting completely lost in another world in a book. That is a pleasure in life. The Forgotten Garden is the first one I read of hers and she created an incredibly vivid world to get lost in.
And what is your favourite TV show?
I love Bridgerton. I’m such a big fan. Rory watched it before the Masters – maybe it is the secret to success, a performance essential, and athletes worldwide will be watching it. I’ve also watched Nobody Wants This multiple times.
What is your worst habit?
Being late. I’m late for everything. Being 10 minutes late is like being early for me.
What is your favourite childhood memory?
Chipping competitions after junior opens for bowls of chips or Coke. I remember doing that all through the summers and it kept me in a good lifestyle of chips and Coke – the diet of champions!
What is your dream three-course meal and dinner guests?
Can I do a winter and a summer menu? For winter, it would be baked camembert, roast chicken but with Yorkshire pudding and all the trimmings, and sticky toffee pudding. All with a good red wine. Then it would be Italian for the summer: burrata, a big bowl of pasta with shrimp and olives and tomatoes and fresh basil and garlic, then for dessert a very classic waffle cone with stracciatella ice cream. And rosé this time.
I love a dinner party and I’d love to have my immediate family and best friends.
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Before presenting in the studio, Zuel worked as an interviewer and on-course commentator - Getty Images/Tom Pennington
What is the best advice you have ever received?
It is something Sir Nick Faldo said to me when I was a kid: Not one person is ever completely right about everything. It is about taking the bits you need from people. I don’t live by it as much now but at the time it really shaped my childhood and early twenties. As a kid you can be easily influenced, you can think what your parents or mentors say is sacrosanct, so that was a very important piece of advice.
Do you have any hidden talents or a party trick?
None that spring to mind, but I think my sheer enthusiasm is a gift at parties. I’ll get up on stage and do karaoke without a drop of alcohol and be on the dancefloor all night. Sinead O’Connor’s Nothing Compares 2 U is my karaoke song if it is serious. I did Sweet Caroline in a bar in Boston once – everyone sings with you.
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