Jon Rahm: Gareth Bale has 'no business being that good at golf'

Gareth Bale pictured at the Open de Espana in 2016
Gareth Bale pictured at the Open de Espana in 2016 / Ross Kinnaird/GettyImages
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World number three Jon Rahm has admitted that Gareth Bale's ability as a golfer "is not fair in the slightest" and that he has "no business" being that good.

The 33-year-old retired from professional football in early January after a stellar career that saw him win multiple Champions League and La Liga crowns with Real Madrid, as well as lead Wales to the semi-finals of Euro 2016.

Many have wondered whether Bale, who famously held up a banner that read 'Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order' during his playing days, will look to become a professional golfer now that he has retired, and those rumours have escalated after he confirmed he'll play in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California next month.

Ahead of that event, Bale teed it up with former world number one and major winner Rahm, who has also represented Europe at the Ryder Cup.

Rahm was suitably impressed with Bale's ability as a golfer, to say the least, and joked that the Welshman "had no business" being as good as he is.

"I told Gareth, 'you can't be so good at professional football and golf at the same time, it just doesn't seem fair'," Rahm told the assembled media after their round.


"Can't be dedicated to one thing and have this much talent for golf, it's not fair in the slightest."

In terms of whether Bale asked for any advice, the Spaniard confirmed: "He didn't ask for anything, nor should he be asking, he's already good enough," the 28-year-old said. "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 is a former US Open champion and is expected to compete for Europe when they contest the 2023 Ryder Cup against the United States in September.