He once celebrated a party in front of a banner that read ‘Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order’.
But now that he has finished his professional football career, golf seems to be the undisputed number one for Gareth Bale – just ask world number three Jon Rahm.
The 2021 US Open champion played alongside the former Wales forward and Real Madrid in the Pro-Am ahead of this week’s Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour.
It’s fair to say the European Ryder Cup player was impressed with what he saw at Torrey Pines.
“I said to Gareth, ‘You can’t be so good at professional football and golf at the same time, it just doesn’t seem fair,'” said the in-shape Spaniard, who is seeking his third consecutive PGA Tour victory. week.
“You can’t be dedicated to one thing and have that much talent for golf, that’s not fair at all.”
Bale, a well-known golf nut, announced earlier this week he will play next month in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California – just weeks after that announce his retirement from professional football at the age of 33.
Bale warmed up for his week with the pros with nine holes at Torrey Pines – and Rahm said the former Tottenham Hotspur striker wasn’t seeking tips from him.
“He didn’t ask for anything, and he shouldn’t ask, he’s good enough already,” said the 28-year-old. “He has no business being as good as he is a professional footballer.
“If he can really practice more, he will get a lot better.
“He got two strokes in the Pro-Am, which I think is already wrong. He should give strokes back to the rest of the amateurs because he’s a very, very good player.”
