Rory McIlroy to play golf with Gareth Bale after Mykonos trip before Ryder Cup
Rory McIlroy confirms he will tee it up with Gareth Bale once more when he returns from a stag do in Mykonos just before the Ryder Cup.
Rory McIlroy enjoyed his BMW PGA Championship Pro-Am outing with football legend Gareth Bale so much that he is going to play golf with him again once returning from his mate's stag do in Mykonos next week.
McIlroy and Bale, both 34, were joined by Match of the Day pundit Jermaine Jenas and Irish businessman JP McManus for the Celebrity Pro-Am at Wentworth.
The World No.2 was asked what he made of Bale's golf game following their round together on Wednesday.
Bale was playing off 0.5, no doubt much to McIlroy's surprise.
McIlroy admitted Bale can seriously play following their round of 18 holes, but that he will need to tidy up some areas of his game if he is to ever make it on to the over 50s PGA Tour Champions.
"I enjoyed playing with him," said McIlroy.
"He hits it well. Like he does hit it very well.
"He's got a really good swing.
"A couple little bits that he would need to tidy up around the green.
"It was good to play with him today. He's still got a bit of time until he turns 50 if he wants to make a go at the Senior Tour, but yeah, he's a good golfer, and we had a good time out there."
McIlroy then confirmed he will be pegging it up with Bale again next week!
Scroll down for McIlroy's quotes...
First tee nerves are another level when teeing off in-front of Rory McIlroy
Gareth Bale experienced that first hand pic.twitter.com/VCjn6xArfJ— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) September 13, 2023
“It was very nerve racking but you also want to impress him.”
Gareth Bale on playing Golf with Rory McIlroy. pic.twitter.com/0MeAw10h5C— Football Daily (@footballdaily) September 13, 2023
That will come just after his boys trip to Mykonos, and a week before the start of the Ryder Cup at Marco Simone in Italy.
"We're members at the same club down the road, so I'm going to play a bit of golf with him next week," confirmed McIlroy
"He's a good player. He's probably low digits to a scratch golfer. Definitely some room for improvement as well."
Bale told Sky Sports he wanted to impress McIlroy on the way round the course.
It would appear he did just that.
McIlroy could be heard saying "good strike, that's okay there" following Bale's opening tee shot down the daunting par-4 1st.
It was fair to say that Gareth Bale was nervous when teeing off alongside World No.2 Rory McIlroy at the BMW Championship Celebrity Pro-Am golf tournament
The Welshman will be pleased to have got the seal of approval from the Northern Irishman pic.twitter.com/XMrF2qzUYE— SPORTbible (@sportbible) September 13, 2023
Luke Donald gave his views on McIlroy heading off to Mykonos so soon before the Ryder Cup last week.
After returning from Mykonos and playing with Bale next week, McIlroy will then head over to the Ryder Cup in Rome.
McIlroy also spoke at large on the Ryder Cup during his press conference at Wentworth.