World number three Jon Rahm talks up Gareth Bale's golf ability

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 25 January 2023

World number three Rahm talks up Bale's golf ability

World number three Jon Rahm suggests that he has been left amazed by the golfing ability of Real Madrid and Wales legend Gareth Bale.

World number three Jon Rahm has claimed that "it just doesn't seem fair" that Gareth Bale's golfing ability is so high.

Bale recently announced that he was retiring from professional football after legendary stints with each of Real Madrid and Wales during his career.

However, throughout his playing days, his love for golf was often brought into the spotlight, one perception being that it contributed to his injury issues at certain points of his time at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Now free to play as often as he wishes, the 33-year-old was recently confirmed for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the PGA Tour next week.

In preparation for that event, Bale has featured in a practice round alongside Rahm ahead of this week's Farmers Insurance Open, which is played at the notoriously-difficult Torrey Pines.

Nevertheless, it appears that Bale has left an impression on Rahm, who feels that there is scope for the ex-footballer to become even better at his second sport.

"You can't be so good at professional football and golf at the same time. It just doesn't seem fair."

- @JonRahmPGA to @GarethBale11 🤣 pic.twitter.com/TcMhDdHjRW
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 24, 2023

Speaking to the media ahead of the upcoming tournament, Rahm said: "I told Gareth, 'you can't be so good at professional football and golf at the same time, it just doesn't seem fair'. Can't be dedicated to one thing and have this much talent for golf, it's not fair in the slightest."

"He has no business being that good when he's a professional football player. When he can actually practise more, he's going to get a lot better.

"He got two strokes in the Pro-Am, which I think is already wrong. He should be giving strokes back to the rest of the amateurs because he is a very, very good player."

Rahm heads into the Farmers Insurance Open on the back of winning last week's American Express by one shot.

The Spaniard has now prevailed in four of his last six events and has not finished outside of the top eight in his last seven starts.