Footgolfer to represent England at world cup

A footgolfer from Cornwall has been selected to represent England at the sport's world cup.

Talan Annear, 27, from St Dennis, will play for the England men's side at the FootGolf World Cup in Acapulco, Mexico, between 27 May and 7 June.

A hybrid of football and golf, players kick a ball from a tee with each player aiming for a hole in the fewest number of kicks.

Annear, who works as adelivery driver for a supermarket, said he was going to South America looking to win.

Currently ranked 309 in the world rankings, Annear is one of 15 men chosen to represent England at the competition.

He said selection was based on the results from the previous year throughout the national tour.

"I was an amateur and top of the amateur ranking which gets you a place into the world cup," he said.

England are set to play Argentina, China and Ireland in the group stages.

"Whoever it is in front of me I'm going to try and beat them," Annear said.

He said people "need to treat it like a separate sport to football".

"You think you are good at football, that doesn't mean you are suddenly good at footgolf," he continued.

"With footgolf the whole point is getting it in the hole or near the hole, while in football you are kicking it into a large space for someone to run into, or you are passing to someone's feet and they are stopping the ball for you."

He said he had played football and golf separately but enjoyed the combination because it was "different".

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