Tennis star Ash Barty makes a VERY cheeky joke about fiance Garry Kissick ahead of Icons Golf Series

Multi-talented athlete Ash Barty might have risen to the top of tennis, but the ever-modest Aussie still believes she is ‘going to absolutely be struggling’ when she takes on some of the world’s biggest sports stars in the Icons Series golf tournament on Thursday night.

Barty – who remarkably plays off a handicap of just four – will take on an incredible list of sports stars that includes Premier League striker Harry Kane, Ricky Ponting, Super Bowl winner Ben Roethlisberger, cricket legend Brian Lara and Michael Phelps. 

Her caddy for the event will be quite a familiar face to many: her fiance Garry Kissick, who is a trainee PGA golf professional at their local club, Brookwater in Brisbane’s south-west. 

Ash Barty (right) with fiance Garry Kissick at their local golf club, Brookwater in Brisbane’s south-west

Barty and Kissick got engaged on November 21 last year and now he’ll caddy for her as she competes alongside sporting superstars like swimmer Michael Phelps

Barty quipped she’d be putting her talented partner to the test when he carries the bag for her in the 10-hole tournament. 

‘I’m sure I will put Garry in some positions he has never seen before on the golf course,’ she joked to Fox Sports.

Ash Barty has been lauded for her golf skills, and plays off a handicap of four

The three-time grand slam winner, who held the number one women’s ranking for 121 weeks before retiring earlier this year, won the women’s club championship at Brookwater, and has impressed Aussie women’s golfing legend Karrie Webb.

She’s also played cricket at WBBL and WNCL level for Queensland, highlighting her incredible all-round abilities.

Barty also played, and thrived, in the WBBL for the Brisbane Heat as a powerful batter

She is also a lifelong Richmond Tigers fan and handy with the sherrin

The tournament will be played as a matchplay – something that suits the ultra-competitive Barty – but she still admitted to having a few nerves.

‘I’m going to absolutely be struggling,’ she said.

‘My heart was beating so fast playing the club championships in our final with nothing on the line, so this is going to be a lot of fun. I will just soak it all in.

‘I love matchplay, I love getting out there and competing against the person not just the golf course.’ 

Ash Barty (left) and Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane (right) are pictured with the Icons Golf Series trophy

Rest of the World team players (from left to right) Harry Kane, boxer Canelo Alvarez, golf legend Ernie Els, cricket champion Brian Lara and Ash Barty

You can forgive her for a few nerves, given the field.

Joining her on the Rest of the World team are cricket greats like Ponting, Lara and AB De Villiers alongside Kane, George Gregan and star boxer Canelo Alvarez. 

Ash Barty retired after winning the Australian Open in January of this year

They’ll be captained by former South African number one Ernie ‘The Big Easy’ Els, with former Masters champ Fred Couples to lead the American team.

It’s a who’s who of the NFL and NBA world in the US team, led by Roethlisberger, JR Smith and Michael Strahan alongside 28-time Olympic medallist Michael Phelps. 

Some field, but we have no doubt our Ash can measure up against the very best.

Barty and Kissick have been together since 2017 after meeting at the Brookwater club

So long as Garry can handle those difficult positions on the course, that is. 

The event will tee off at approximately 9.30pm AEST on Thursday.