Tennis might be Rafael Nadal’s first love, but it’s no secret the World No. 2 also has a special place in his heart for another sport: golf. Nadal has a 1.5 handicap, good enough to compete at a professional level, and enjoys spending downtime from the tennis court by taking to the golf course.
Over the weekend, Nadal showed off his golf prowess by finishing second in the over-30 bracket at the Balearic Islands Championship at Vall D’or Golf Club, an 18-hole course on the Spaniard’s home island of Mallorca.
Nadal, who represented Mallorca’s golf club Son Servera, held a 3-stroke lead (-1) over Federico Paez going into the final day of play. The 32-year-old started strongly with two birdies in the first three holes but his chances of claiming the title took a hit when he shot a quadruple bogey.
Rafa tried to rally down the stretch but a double bogey on the 17th ended his hopes of a comeback. He finished second with 150 strokes, three more than Paez. Miguel Angel Nadal, Rafael’s uncle and brother of the player’s former coach Toni, finished 15th.
Nadal’s service on the golf course goes beyond friendly competition. Along with Spanish professional golfer Jose Maria Olazabal, Nadal organizes tournaments at Son Servera for charitable causes. Late last year, Nadal helped raise funds to aid the victims of the Sant Llorenc floods, a natural disaster that created mud slides and devastated parts of Mallorca on 9 October.
Source: ATP World Tour
Be First to Comment