The most decorated Olympian of all time, American Michael Phelps, may have hung up his goggles and retired from competitive swimming, but that doesn’t mean the ‘GOAT’ is done with all sports. As we reported last week, 31-year-old Phelps joined actor Bill Murray and musician Huey Lewis, among several other famous personalities, to compete in a friendly Ryder Cup celebrity golf match.
The match took place on Tuesday, September 27th at the Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota. The 41st Ryder Cup, a team golfing competition between the best golfers of the United States and Europe then kicked off yesterday, September 29th.
There was no missing the Baltimore native on the golf course, as Phelps fired off his famous arm slap pre-race routine on the first tee. Donning a few more pieces of clothing than when stepping onto the pool deck, Phelps says he was ‘happy to get off of one [the first tee]’.
‘I was like, if I get off of one, I’m going to be OK. And that was probably my best shot of the day.”
Below is Phelps warming up for his first shot, one of the few remaining times we’ll probably see the famous arm slap routine.
Check out @MichaelPhelps hilarious pre-shot routine on the 1st tee at the #RyderCup Celebrity Scramble pic.twitter.com/Ws1lMefCSg
— Chris Long (@ChrisLongKSTP) September 27, 2016
When fans yelled from the crowd, ‘2020’ as encouragement for Phelps to stay in the sport for the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020, Phelps says in response, “It’s never happening. I know I’ve said it before, but I’m done. This is it.”
Quotes provided by RyderCup.com.
Happy to have seen the greatest athlete to have walked the earth ,thanks michael, do you know that’s the archangel.
BTW the US celebs smoked the European celebs. USA USA
I honestly think this chanting of “2020!” is selfish. Think less about your own entertainment and more about Phelps as a person. I’m glad he’s retired. He’s earned it.
Lighten up. They were honoring him.
2020! 2020! 2020!