McIlroy Set To Play Exhibition Table Tennis Match In Shanghai
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Rory McIlroy and Martin Kaymer will open the inaugural Shanghai Masters with a game of table tennis and a nearest-the-pin competition against world number five table tennis star Timo Boll.
Four of the top five players in the current world rankings will be joined by all but one of the victorious European Ryder Cup team in China from the 25th to the 28th October for the $7m event at Lake Malaren Golf Club.
The trio will rally on the 18th green of the Jack Nicklaus designed championship course on Tuesday the 23rd of October at 13:00.
It will not be McIlroy’s first exibtion game in 2012 with a bat in hand, after he rallied with Maria Sharapova during his girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki’s tennis exhibition game at Madison Square Garden in March.
Boll is already looking forward to the match, he said: “Martin Kaymer and I have a lot in common; as kids we both wanted to become professional footballers and both grew up playing sport around Düsseldorf – Martin at Mettmann Golf Club, me at Borussia Düsseldorf.
“I enjoyed playing golf as a hobby, while he played a bit of table tennis on the side. However, we are still yet to meet. Now the BMW Masters has thrown us together in Shanghai.
“I am looking forward to our table tennis challenge and the nearest-to-the-pin competition. I am sure Martin Kaymer and Rory McIlroy will be able to give me a few tips. It will certainly be interesting to chat with them both about the similarities between our sports in terms of dynamics and accuracy.”
