‘Obviously I didn’t sign’ – Matt Fitzpatrick reveals hilarious Gareth Bale offer ahead of AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am

PGA Tour star Matt Fitzpatrick has revealed details about a funny exchange with Gareth Bale ahead of this week’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am.

World No. 10 Fitzpatrick teed it up alongside the five-time Champions League winner this week during a practice round at the iconic Pebble Beach Golf Links course.

However, it was not their first encounter with Fitzpatrick lifting the lid on Bale’s previous attempts to sign both him and his brother Alex to his management company.

“We each have a running joke,” said Fitzpatrick. “The first time I kind of got to know him a little bit, he was looking to sign my brother.

“So I ended up having a conversation with him and his manager and he jokingly said to me, ‘If you sign for my management company I’ll not score three goals against your team’. My team being Sheffield United.

“I got sent a picture. Normally, in football, after the game is done, if a player scores a hat-trick, all the players in the team sign the ball. And I just got this picture of a signed ball from him. So, yeah, he’s a pretty impressive individual, to be fair. He’s achieved a lot in his game.”

Reflecting on their time on the picturesque course that graces the Monterey Peninsula, Fitzpatrick said he enjoyed the insight into Bale’s former life.

“First time I’ve officially met him. So that was obviously good to see him,” he said. “Really, really enjoyed it. Asking him questions about football and he’s asking questions about golf and stuff. So we had a really enjoyable front nine and there’s not many better places to do it than around here.”

Fitzpatrick was unaware of Rahm’s glowing review but provided his own endorsement of Bale’s golfing prowess.

“I don’t know what Jon said. But, yeah, he’s obviously a good player. He’s obviously got a lot of talent. Yeah, he was impressive,” he said.

Bale too was impressed by the Englishman, who memorably captured the US Open crown last year and is looking to improve on the tied-sixth place finish he recorded at this venue in 2022.

“I think there’s a couple of shots I hit today,” added Fitzpatrick. “I think he was kind of like, ‘Wow, you know, these guys are good’, as they like to say.”

This week’s tournament is played across three courses with Fitzpatrick set to begin his challenge at the Spyglass Hill course before switching to the Monterey Peninsula Country Club layout on Friday and then Pebble Beach Golf Links on Saturday.

The starting field consists of 156 professionals and 156 amateurs with each professional paired with an amateur.

Bale will join the likes of Bill Murray, Jason Bateman, Alfonso Ribeiro, Macklemore, Ray Romano and Chris O’Donnell in the celebrity ranks.

A cut will be made after Saturday’s round and 60 pros plus the 25 low pro-am teams will return to Pebble Beach Golf Links on Sunday.