( CNN ) -- Andriy Shevchenko has returned to pro sports . But not in football -- and not to the standard of success he has been used to . The former European player of the year is competing in his first professional golf tournament as part of the Kharkov Superior Cup in his native Ukraine , but struggled to a 12-over-par 84 in Thursday 's opening round . `` It 's a completely different game when you are under pressure , but I really enjoyed it still and so happy to be at this tournament , even if my scoring did n't go so good . It 's a great experience for me , '' Shevchenko told the European Tour website . His playing partner , Frenchman Victor Riu , was the first-round leader in the second-tier Challenge Tour event after a sharply contrasting course-record 64 . `` I am not a big fan of football so I did n't really know much about Andriy but it was great to play with him . There were a lot of people watching , '' the 28-year-old said . `` He was great . Every time I holed a putt he shook my hand or gave me a high five . He was really pushing me on to play better and cheering me when I made birdies so that was a really big help for me . `` I did put it up on Facebook that I was playing with him and it got a lot of responses , so I knew it was a big deal ! Shevchenko , who enjoyed most of his success with Italian club AC Milan , retired from football a year ago after Ukraine co-hosted the European Championships and has since dabbled in politics . He entered this tournament as one of several amateurs in the 130-strong field , having initially taken up golf to help ease the pressure of playing elite football . `` I come on to a golf course and turn off my phone and just walk the course and hit some balls . It 's one of the reasons why I started to play , '' he said Wednesday . `` I just found this great game where you have to be focused and balanced and that 's why I like it . I like that mental balance . '' Shevchenko did manage one birdie , but he carded a double bogey and dropped shots at 11 other holes at the Superior Golf and Spa Resort course , which is part of a luxury seven-star facility . `` To play with Victor and see him shoot a course record and play fantastic golf , I learned so much about the game from the two guys , '' he said . Shevchenko is n't the only athlete to try his hand at pro golf following a successful career in another sport . Former tennis No . 1 Yevgeny Kafelnikov became Russia 's national champion in 2011 -- he is also in the field this weekend in Ukraine -- and eight-time grand slam tennis winner Ivan Lendl contested the Czech Open back in 1996 . After Lendl struck an 11-over-par 82 in the first round , he was quoted as saying by the Chicago Tribune that it was `` five times worse than playing in a Wimbledon final . '' Although similarly unlikely to make the halfway cut , and therefore miss out on the weekend action , Shevchenko is nonetheless proud to be participating in his country 's first major golf tournament . `` It 's the first event for me and also in Ukraine so it 's big for golf here , '' he said . `` I love golf and I 'm so happy that golf is starting to pick up in Ukraine and the people are starting to invest money long term . ''
Andriy Ivan makes his professional golf debut in his native Ukraine . The 36-year - old cards 84 but his playing partner wins after a 79 . Shevchenko retired from football after last year 's European Championships . The Kharkov Superior Open is the first major professional golf event to be held in Ukraine .