"I'm 100% sure I can't become a professional golfer," Bale told the BBC on 28/7. "When you play golf and watch professional golfers compete, even at your highest level, you still can't compare. That's when you realize how good they are. They have to compete under pressure and harsh weather conditions at the tournament level. I've stopped pursuing a professional career, but I still love the sport. I enjoy watching and improving my game."
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Bale regularly participates in amateur golf tournaments after retiring from football in 2023. Photo: AS |
Bale regularly participates in amateur golf tournaments after retiring from football in 2023. Photo: AS
Bale was once one of football's top stars. The Welsh forward scored 106 goals in 258 appearances for Real Madrid, winning five Champions League titles and three La Liga titles. However, in early 2023, he retired at the age of 33.
Bale has played golf regularly since his time at Real Madrid. The Spanish press criticized him for playing golf, claiming it caused him to miss matches by aggravating back problems. When Wales qualified for Euro 2021, Bale humorously reacted: "My priorities are: Wales, golf, Real."
After retiring, Bale played golf more frequently. He improved his game, lowering his handicap from three or four to 0.1. In the amateur division of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in the US in 2023, Bale tied for 16th place with Joseph Bramlett, a local professional golfer.
In the BBC interview, Bale declined to comment on the developments surrounding the potential purchase of Cardiff City Football Club. Earlier this month, the former football star and a group of entrepreneurs made a USD 53 million offer. However, according to media reports, current owner Vincent Tan rejected it.
Tan acquired Cardiff City in 2010 and has invested 267 million USD in the club. Cardiff was recently relegated to League One, the third tier of English football, for the first time in its history.
"We are interested in acquiring Cardiff. It's my hometown club, where I grew up, and my uncle played for them," Bale said earlier this month. "Being part of the ownership group would be a dream come true. I would love to contribute to Cardiff's development and bring them back to the Premier League, where they deserve to be."
Thanh Quy (AS)
