
east real Madrid And wales Star Gareth Bale Made a strong start to his first appearance at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California on Thursday as he and his professional partner Joseph Bramlett finished the first round with seven-under-par 65s.
Pros such as US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick and world No. 5 Patrick Cantlay, along with celebrities including actor Bill Murray and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, are taking part in the event.
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As he prepared to tee off on the first hole, Bell described playing in the tournament as a “dream” but admitted that “for some reason there are a lot of nerves.”
But that first tee shot landed perfectly on the green to start the round with a par.
“I think every amateur will tell you they are out of their comfort zone, even though we are used to playing in front of 80,000 or more on TV. It’s a completely different game.” he told Sky Sports,
“It’s something that’s totally different and it’s a great experience, and I’m lucky that I hit one of my best shots to the first fairway which was good.”
Bell impressed again on the second hole when a drop was handed on the drive way and chipped to within 4 feet of the pin to save par.
Bale by way of handcart đ± pic.twitter.com/oM2j72iDZL
â ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) February 2, 2023
“I’m more concerned about how I found myself [on the path] in first place, but I think a lot of amateurs find themselves in that position,” Bell said.
“It was a great shot and I just tried to bank and hope for the best like most amateurs do.”
Bell, 33, announced his retirement from football last month at the end of 2022 after captaining Wales in their first World Cup since 1958. Five-time Champions League winner ends his career LAFCwhere he scored a dramatic equalizer in the MLS Cup win last November.
The former Tottenham forward is renowned for his love of golf. During his time at Real Madrid, he received a backlash from his own supporters after posing with a banner that read: “Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order.”