Gareth Bale stuns pro golfers with incredible cart path shot at Pebble Beach Pro-Am

CNN
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Few people tuned in to watch the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Thursday will have been surprised to learn that former Real Madrid star Gareth Bale is good at golf.

After all, the Welshman has made no secret of his love for the game throughout a stellar footballing career which he put on hold in January.

Yet the former Tottenham Hotspur and Real striker’s naturalness on the fairways surprised many after an impressive first round on his PGA Tour debut in California.

Playing alongside professional partner Joseph Bramlett, Bale scored under 65 on the notoriously tough Spyglass Hill course to finish the day five strokes behind the leading Pro-Am duo, the Hurricanes owners of the NHL Carolina, Tom Dundon, and American professional golfer Will Gordon.

As a five-time Champions League winner and one of the most decorated players of his generation, Bale is no stranger to the big stages. Just three months ago, he captained his country at the Qatar World Cup.

But the 33-year-old, who plays with a handicap of two, admitted to having some jitters over the first tee on Monday.

“I think any fan will tell you, although we’re used to playing in front of 80,000 or more people live on TV, it’s a completely different sport,” Bale told Sky Sports.

“Out of your comfort zone and something that’s just different. It’s a cool experience.

Bale’s opening tee shot seemed nerveless, however – a superb effort that found the green and turned back to the hole, allowing him to kick off his round with a par.

Yet the crushing highlight of the Welshman’s round followed on the next hole when Bale was taken down on a cart path near the green.

Facing a tricky kerb road, Bale sent a bouncing ricochet shot to shore and onto the green, the ball sinking less than a yard from the hole for a par-saving putt.

At the time, Bale’s first thought was to check that nearby cameras had captured the effort. After thinking after his turn, the first thing that came to mind was why he had to play such a move to begin with.

“I was more worried about how I got there in the first place, but I guess a lot of amateurs find themselves out of position,” Bale said.

“It was a great shot. I just tried to put it in the bank and hope for the best, like most amateurs do. It was nice to see it rolling well and up close.

“It was a fun day. Looking forward to another two fun days with an amazing group of people like the one we had today.

Bale’s exploits will come as no surprise to world number 3 John Rahm, who praised the former footballer’s golfing prowess after the pair played a game together last month.

“I said to Gareth, ‘you can’t be so good at professional football and golf at the same time, that just doesn’t seem fair,'” Rahm said.

“You can’t devote yourself to one thing and have so much talent for golf, it’s not fair at all.”

Among the other biggest celebrity names on the 156-star field, Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers is two shots off the lead after carding 10-under 62 with pro partner Ben Silverman. Actors Jason Bateman and Bill Murray, as well as rapper Macklemore, are also present at the event.

American Hank Lebioda tops the professional standings after shooting eight under-63s, one shot ahead of compatriots Kurt Kitayama and Chad Ramsey, as well as England’s Harry Hall.