"He was impressive": US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick heaps praise on Gareth Bale's golfing skills

US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick praised Gareth Bale's golfing skills. The Real Madrid star recently announced his retirement from football and will now headline the upcoming AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, which will feature 156 professionals and 156 amateur golfers.

Matt Fitzpatrick will also compete in the tournament to start on Thursday at three iconic courses, Spyglass Hill Golf Course, Monterey Peninsula Country Club, and Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Fitzpatrick and Bale shared a practice session for the tournament on Wednesday. The Welshman impressed the English golfer with his shots. Speaking about Gareth Bale's golfing skills, Matt said:

"It was really cool. First time I've officially met him. So that was obviously good to see him. Really, really enjoyed it."

He went on to say:

"Asking him questions about football and he's asking questions about golf and stuff. We had a really enjoyable front nine and there's not many better places to do it than around here."

Last week, Jon Rahm appreciated Gareth Bale's golfing while they paired up in the practice session of the Farmers Insurance Open. The Spaniard 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. You can tell he loves this sport, he loves golf and he really wants to get to play a little bit more."

When Fitzpatrick was asked about his experience with Gareth Bale, he said:

"I don't know what Jon said but yeah, he [Bale] is obviously a good player. He has obviously got a lot of talent. Yeah, he was impressive."

It is pertinent to note that Gareth Bale is listed as having a handicap of 2 and will probably pursue a career in golf after retiring from football. The former football star will start the first round alongside former Korn Ferry Tour Championship winner Joseph Bramlett in California at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

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Matt Fitzpatrick joins Rory McIlroy's TGL League

Matt Fitzpatrick is the latest addition to Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods' golf league, TGL. The tournament, which is scheduled to start in 2024, has been joined by seven-star golfers.

The Monday Night League will feature the 2023 Sentry Tournament champion and runner-up, Jon Rahm and Collin Morikawa, respectively, in addition to Justin Thomas and Adam Scott.

The golf league will be a virtual 18-hole competition that consists of six teams with three players each.

Fitzpatrick found the concept interesting and said:

"I'm excited. It's obviously a really exciting concept. I think to be able to play some virtual golf, competing with the best guys out there, it's going to be something different and something exciting. So, I'm looking forward to it."

Speaking about the series, Rory McIlroy said:

"TGL will tap into the appeal of team golf within an exciting, fan-friendly environment, comparable to sitting courtside at an NBA game. TGL will widen the appeal of golf to younger and more diverse fans and serve as another avenue to introduce people to the game I love."

The tournament will begin its first season in January 2024.