Former Wales skipper Gareth Bale shined on his PGA Tour debut as he put himself in a commanding place after the conclusion of round one at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
On the amateur leaderboard at the Spyglass Hill course, Bale and his professional partner Joseph Bramlett finished with a seven-under-par 65 to tie for 18th place.
A recovery shot off a path to preserve par on the second hole was a highlight of former Real Madrid star Bale's play.
"It was a great shot," said Bale. "I tried to play it into the bank and hope for the best, as all amateur golfers would. It was nice to see it roll up nice and close. I finished it off nicely as well. I can't really say much more."
Shortly after guiding Wales in the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, Bale declared his retirement from football.
Bale, however, acknowledged that he was nervous on the first tee despite having played in front of large crowds throughout an illustrious playing career that included five Champions League wins with European giants Real Madrid.
"I think every amateur will tell you that. Even if we are used to playing in front of 80,000 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."
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