Four Ryder Cup legends surprise frontline worker in Dubai with round of golf

Family doctor Eleanor McCarthy left speechless when Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Tommy Fleetwood and Henrik Stenson join her on golf course

Dr Elanor McCarthy says she was left speechless when Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Tommy Fleetwood joined her on the golf course. Courtesy: Dr Elanor McCarthy

A frontline healthcare worker in Dubai got the surprise of her life when four sporting legends surprised her with the ultimate round of golf.

Sports fanatic Dr Eleanor McCarthy said she was left speechless when Ryder Cup players Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Tommy Fleetwood joined her on the golf course on Tuesday to thank her for efforts made during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dr McCarthy, a family physician at King’s College Hospital London in Dubai, thought she was visiting the course to shoot a short video about the effects of coronavirus on the medical community.

“When I turned around and saw Ian Poulter walking towards me I couldn’t speak,” the mother of three said.

"If you know me, you know I never struggle for something to say so it was obvious that I was just blown away.

“I didn’t manage to get a hole in one on the day but I did get some handy tips from the players.

“My bunker shots are definitely better now and Ian taught me how to readjust my grip too.”

Two time DP World Tour Championship winner, Henrik Stenson, also joined the group for a few swings at the Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Dr McCarthy, from Northern Ireland, started work at the hospital in March, just days after the pandemic was declared and cases in the city started to rise.

Over the past few months, she has come face to face with many Covid-19 patients.

With three young children at home, she said it has been a tough ride but Tuesday’s surprise helped to instil a sense of normality again.

“It has been hard, it’s been difficult, but this is part and parcel of my job and I love what I do,” she said.

“Coming in from a work shift all I wanted to do was kiss my husband, hug my kids and play with my cat but I’ve really had to be conscious about keeping my distance.

“I only started playing golf about 18 months ago but I’ve grown up watching it and we go to the tournaments in Dubai every year.

“You usually get to see the players up close when they’re competing but to actually play a round with them and chat and laugh, that’s an altogether different kind of buzz.”

Due to her role on the frontline, Dr McCarthy, her husband and her three young children had to isolate from friends and family for more than four months to reduce the risk of catching or passing on the virus.

The golf experience was arranged by DP World and the European Tour ahead of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

The day out was filmed as part of a short documentary, Doctor's Day: Our True Heroes, to shine a light on the amazing work that frontline heroes have done globally.

Poulter said it was an honour to give a little something back to someone who has sacrificed so much.

“Our worlds have been turned upside down this year but it’s thanks to Ellie and so many others that our situations are improving,” he said.

“There are hundreds of thousands of incredible doctors and nurses around the world who are doing remarkable jobs and it was a pleasure for me to give her an experience she could truly enjoy”.