Just a fortnight after hanging up his football boots, Gareth Bale has revealed he will return to competitive play next month—though this time with a smaller ball.
The Welsh legend, who is an avid golf enthusiast, will participate in the PGA Tour’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California. He announced his entry in an Instagram post on Monday.
At 33, Bale will join a field of 156 celebrities and an equal number of professional golfers in the event, scheduled from January 30 to February 5. Among the professionals competing are World No. 4 Patrick Cantlay, three-time major champion Jordan Spieth, and 2022 US Open winner Matt Fitzpatrick. Tom Hoge will look to defend his title from the previous year.
Bale’s appearance at the Pro-Am places him among an outstanding group of celebrities, including Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, actor Jason Bateman, and rapper Macklemore.
Bale retired from football earlier this month after a celebrated 16-year career, during which he earned recognition as a Welsh hero and one of football’s most accomplished players. His tenure at Real Madrid, marked by a then-record transfer fee in 2013, included five Champions League titles and three La Liga championships.
Despite these achievements, his time in Madrid was clouded by friction with fans and media, exacerbated by his controversial “Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order” flag, which caused unrest among Real supporters.
Following his departure from Madrid in the summer of 2022, Bale joined Los Angeles FC, where he played a pivotal role in securing their inaugural MLS Cup in November. Outside of his sports career, Bale has ventured into business, recently launching a second Par59 mini-golf bar in Bristol, England, building on the success of his first location in Cardiff.