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The 5-Minute Interview: Sam Torrance, Golfer

'There are not many spare parts for your body'

Tuesday 09 January 2007 20:00 EST
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Sam Torrance, 53, who captained the winning European Ryder Cup team in 2002, takes part in the Chivas Snow Golf Championship in St Moritz on Friday and Saturday

If I weren't talking to you right now I'd be...

Having scrambled eggs on toast with my wife.

A phrase I use far too often is...

"Beaver". I play a lot of backgammon. I've been playing for 20 or 30 years. If someone doubles you and you say "beaver" you re-double them.

I wish people would take more notice of...

Their health. I think as you get older you realise there are not many spare parts to your body and it would be nice to look after it a bit more when you're younger.

The most surprising thing that ever happened to me was...

When my wife agreed to marry me.

A common misperception of me is...

That I smoke a lot. When I'm on a golf course I've got a cigarette, but sometimes it's lit and sometimes it's not. I smoke 10 a day, but it looks like I'm smoking all the time.

I'm not a politician but...

I'd like to see Britain looking after itself more than the rest of the world. I know there's a lot of poverty and famine across the world but there's a lot in our country too.

I'm good at...

Golf.

But I'm very bad at...

Poker.

The ideal night out is...

A good movie with my wife and then a late supper somewhere.

In moments of weakness I...

Gamble. I play cards, backgammon, horses, football. Anything that moves, really.

You know me as a golfer, but in a truer life I'd have been a...

Policeman.

The best age to be is...

30-ish. You've learned a lot more about yourself. At that age you're quite well established and have got a few quid. Life's a bit of fun.

In a nutshell, my philosophy is this:

This is not a dress rehearsal. Enjoy it.

Elisa Bray

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