One Direction’s Niall Horan called for more women to take up golf as he revealed he would like to try his hand at coaching.

The 22-year-old singer will play against celebrities ranging from Alan Shearer and Horan’s sporting hero Brian O’Driscoll to Piers Morgan at the BMW PGA Championship Celebrity Pro-Am at Wentworth Golf Club in Virginia Water on Wednesday afternoon, which raises money for Cancer Research UK Kids & Teens.

Former One Direction singer Niall Horan
(Yui Mok/PA)

Speaking ahead of his Pro-Am appearance, he said he “felt strongly” about getting more young people involved as they were “the future of the game”.

He added: “I would really like to see a lot more girls playing it because the girls’ tour at the moment, the LPGA tour, is absolutely amazing and there should be more kids playing.”

Former One Direction singer Niall Horan with eight-year-old cancer survivor, Rhys Kiernan (left).
(Yui Mok/PA)

Niall said he was “probably over the hill now” to follow his dream of being a pro-golfer but hinted at another career now his former band are on hiatus.

As well as forming Modest! Golf Management, he revealed he could one day see himself set up a training academy.

“If I could teach I would, but not at the moment,” he said.

Niall sparked rumours of a solo career when golf ace Justin Rose shared a picture on Instagram of the two of them writing songs ahead of the Horan and Rose Gala Dinner and Pro-Am day on May 29 and 30, also supporting Cancer Research UK to find cures and kinder treatments for children and teens.

But he broke the hearts of a million fans as he revealed that was not the start of his solo material.

He explained: “We were just in the house and he has a piano and he was trying to write a song about his caddy to the tune of Hello by Adele – and I don’t know if you’ve ever heard him sing but he’s horrific – so we were just doing it as a joke.

“The whole media took over that we were writing songs together and it was blown out of proportion, and we were only having a laugh.”

Niall made a pit-stop on the way to the course to take on the Totally Mega Putt Challenge against eight-year-old cancer survivor Rhys Kiernan, each getting three chances to hole a 100-foot putt, with Rhys crowned winner of the day.

Former One Direction singer Niall Horan with eight-year-old cancer survivor, Rhys Kiernan (left).
(Yui Mok/PA)

At last year’s event, Niall nearly killed a crowd member when he hit a rogue shot into the audience, but he said he’s confident spectators are safe this year.

“I’m not as nervous as I usually am for these things … I’ve been practising. I’m a completely different golfer.

“I didn’t kill anyone in Dublin last week (at the Irish Open), I didn’t come near to killing anyone last week, so I’m feeling a lot more confident.”

For more information, visit cruk.org/kidsandteens.