Gareth Bale golf handicap: Pebble Beach pro-am entry and PGA Tour debut explained

Newly retired footballer Gareth Bale produced an impressive performance on the golf course during the first day of his PGA debut.

The former Wales captain stepped away from football after last year’s World Cup, ending an illustrious 17-year career in the sport.

Throughout his career, Bale was always an avid fan of golf and regularly shared videos of himself playing the sport on his social media pages.

The 33-year-old is currently competing against some of the biggest names in the sport as part of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

But how did Bale fare on his golf debut - and who is he competing against?

Here is everything you need to know.

What is AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am?

The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is a professional golf tournament which is part of the PGA Tour. The event takes place annually at Pebble Beach, California, with this year’s competition running from Thursday 2 February to Sunday 5 February.

Gareth Bale is one of the 156 amateur players taking part in the tournament, alongside 156 professionals.

The five-time Champions League winner is joined by fellow amateur celebrities in the form of actors Billy Murray (Groundhog Day, Ghostbusters) and Jason Bateman (Ozark, Arrested Development), Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and rapper Mackelmore, known for songs like Thrift Shop and Can’t Hold Us.

The professionals in the tournament include England’s US Open Champion Matt Fitzpatrick and former major champion Justin Rose.

How did Gareth Bale perform on his debut?

Gareth Bale put in an impressive performance at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am with professional partner Joseph Bramlett.

The former Real Madrid star and partner Bramlett played a seven-under-par 65 to finish the opening day tied in 18th place on the amateur leaderboard.

The pace setter in the professional leaderboard is American Hank Lebioda who shot an eight-under par 63. He is closely followed by Britain’s Barry Hall with 64.

What is Gareth Bale’s handicap?

Gareth Bale, who has a three hole golf course built into his back garden, currently plays off a handicap of two.

A golf handicap is essentially a numerical measure of a golfer’s potential that is used to enable players of varying abilities to compete against each other. The best players are those with the lowest handicaps.

It was previously reported in 2015 that Bale had a handicap of six, meaning he has made significant improvements in his game in recent years.

What did Gareth Bale say after his PGA debut?

Gareth Bale reflected positively after the first day of his PGA tour debut and described it as a nerve wracking experience.

The Welsh icon said: “I think every amateur will tell you. Even if we are used to playing in front of 80,000 people or more on live TV it’s a completely different sport.

“It’s a good experience but luckily I hit one of my best shots down the first fairway.”

The first three rounds take place over three courses including Pebble Beach, Monterey Peninsula and Spyglass Hill. The top 25 pro and amateur pairings in the better ball format progress to the final round on the Pebble Beach Links Course.