BALE TAKES A SHOT AT NEW TITLE
GARETH Bale’s been wowing fans with his sporting abilities as he plays for Wales yet again this weekend – except this time it was golf rather than football that’s been letting him show off his prowess.
On the anniversary of Wales’ famous 3-1 victory over Belgium at Euro 2016 in France last year, the Whitchurch-born soccer star is heading up the home team at this year’s star-studded Celebrity Cup, a two-day golfing extravaganza taking place at Newport’s Celtic Manor.
The competition sees Bale return to the tee at the fivestar resort for the first time since 2015, the Real Madrid winger having been forced to skip a turn last year due to his driving role in Wales’ amazing efforts at the Euros footie tour- nament. Fresh from winning a third Champions League title in four years with his Spanish side – a face-off against Juventus that saw him return to his native Cardiff – Bale was seen joking around and signing autographs for his many fans yesterday, accompanied by team-mates such as funnyman Rob Brydon, rugby legends Sir Gareth Edwards and Jonathan Davies, soccer great Craig Bellamy and TV presenter Gethin Jones.
Launched in 2013, the Celebrity Cup features teams of six celebrity golfers representing England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, the home team’s opposition this time around featuring the likes of England rugby icon Mike Tindall, presenter Denise Van Outen, Strictly’s Anton Du Beke, Dragons’ Den star Peter Jones, actor James Nesbitt and singer Ronan Keating.
The competition aims to raise money for Keating’s charity, the Marie Keating Foundation – which promotes cancer awareness and was launched in memory of his mother, who died from the disease.
The teams play each other over nine holes in a round-robin matchplay format, leading to a final and third-placed play-off.
Scotland won the competition in 2013 and 2016, England triumphed in 2014 014 and Wales took the title in 2015.