BALE A HOT SHOT WITH NEW CLUB
TEAM England were crowned winners of the 2017 Celebrity Cup at The Celtic Manor Resort yesterday despite Gareth Bale wowing fans with his sporting abilities at the star-packed charity golf tournament.
Bale took to the course alongside teammates – comedian Rob Brydon, TV presenter Gethin Jones, ex-footballer Craig Bellamy, and rugby legends Jonathan Davies and Sir Gareth Edwards – at the Celtic Manor Resort, Newport.
The two-day competition saw Bale make a return to the tee at the five-star resort for the first time since 2015, with the Real Madrid star having been forced to skip the event last year due to his driving role in Wales’ amazing efforts at Euro 2016.
The event saw crowds of more than 5,000 people watch on both days as stars including former England rugby player Mike Tindall, actor and presenter Bradley Walsh, Strictly Come Dancing’s Anton du Beke, Denise van Outen, former Boyzone band member Ronan Keating and actor James Nesbitt take to the course.
The Celebrity Cup was launched in 2013, with the team playing each other over nine holes in a round-robin matchplay format, leading to a final and third-placed play-off.
Ronan Keating’s family charity the Marie Keating foundation – which was set up following his mother’s death in 1998 – also benefited to the tune of £45,000. The foundation helps men and women prevent cancer, detect it at the earliest stages and journey through cancer diagnosis, treatment and survivorship.
Bale teamed up with TV presenter Gethin Jones to beat England Rugby World Cup winner Mike Tindall and Dragons’ Den entrepreneur Peter Jones yesterday morning.
With a place in the final then hanging on the last match, Denise van Outen proved the saviour for England when her final tee shot landed 15ft from the pin to clinch her game against Wales skipper Rob Brydon and Jonathan Davies.
Consigned to the third place playoff against Ireland, Bale and rugby great Davies were beaten by Irish singers Keith Duffy and Brian McFadden as Wales ended up with the wooden spoon, a far cry from the first tournament victory they achieved on Bale’s only previous appearance in the Celebrity Cup in 2015.