We speak to James Milner and Adam Lallana on their move into golf management, as Ben Schmidt joins the White Rose Sports Management stable
Premier League footballers James Milner and Adam Lallana won't just have their minds on football this summer - a move into golf management means the former Liverpool teammates will be closely following all the Tour action.
The pair will be paying particular attention to the highly rated youngster Ben Schmidt, who has signed with White Rose Sports Management, which was established by Milner in 2015.
The Rotherham teenager turned professional after a stellar amateur career that saw him become just the fourth golfer in history to win both the Brabazon and Carris Trophies.
Aged 18, he was the youngest member of the Great Britain and Ireland squad at the recent Walker Cup, and he's now hoping the seasoned football stars can use their extensive knowledge in sport to help him maximise his potential.
"We have a lot of experience on the performance side and we just wanted to look after and help young players come through and achieve their potential," Milner tells Golf Monthly.
"It's so tough. Like any sport, you need the right people around you, so we want to try and provide that for the players and let them concentrate on the golf side."
As well as offering Milner and Lallana's guidance, White Rose Sports Management can also call upon Dr Steve McGregor to lend his expertise.
Milner has known the fitness expert - who's worked with the likes of Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood - since he was a teenager at Leeds United.
"He really helped me come through," says Milner, who despite his love of golf is keen to point out that he's not ready to hang up the boots just yet.
"He's got great experience. Our beliefs and experience on the performance side align, which is great."
Golf mad Lallana, who made his professional debut at Southampton as an 18-year-old, before going on to win the Premier League and UEFA Champions League with Liverpool, can't wait to help Schmidt as he starts out on his professional career.
"When we have conversations, it's about not putting too much pressure on yourself at such a young age, but obviously doing all you can to give yourself the best chance possible," says the 33-year-old Brighton Midfielder.
"If you've got the fundamentals and basics and work hard, then the rest will kind of take care of itself."
Schmidt, who's just finding his feet on the Challenge Tour, is excited by what the partnership can do for his game.
"These two have been and done it. The advice that they can give me is incredible," he says. "It means a lot.
"I've been working with Steve and he puts together a gym programme for me. He's been great, even down to the schedule and planning."
With another of White Rose's clients in action at the US Open next week - American Johannes Veerman - both Milner and Lallana will be glued to the action from Torrey Pines.
And when world travel becomes easier, you might well be seeing a bit more of them on the fairways - outside of the football season, of course, at least for now.
