Rafael Nadal is undoubtedly one of the greatest athletes of all time, winning 22 Grand Slam titles during his illustrious career.
The ‘King of Clay’ retired from tennis in 2024 at the age of 38 after years of battling injuries, including hip and knee problems. So it’s surprising that 10 days after officially hanging up his racket, Nadal immediately took up another sport professionally.
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He returned to his home country in Spain, specifically Mallorca, to tee off in professional golf tournaments. He is known as an exceptional golfer with a +0.3 handicap and was once invited to play at the iconic Augusta National.
But this was a completely different test, and incredibly, he passed with flying colors.
Photo by Manuel Queimaderos Alonso/Getty Images
Where Rafael Nadal finished in a professional golf tournament
Days after retiring from tennis, Nadal teed off at the FGB Hexagonal Golf Circuit in Mallorca. Amazingly, he secured a top-10 spot in 8th place out of 76 players.
Nadal held the lead for a time during the tournament. He made two birdies on the par-5 9th and 16th holes. He also birdied the third hole in an incredible performance, 10 days after his last Davis Cup tennis event.
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Nadal represented the Rafa Nadal Academy at Club de Golf Son Cervera and finished fourth in the tournament. The academy is famous for its tennis, but its representatives also frequently attend the local golf course in Mallorca, where the event was held.
By achieving this finish in such a short period of time, Nadal proved that he might have been a professional golfer in another life.
Why Rafael Nadal likes playing golf after his tennis career
Nadal’s body had suffered damage during his tennis career. His energetic style of play made him unbeatable on the day, but it wasn’t a sustainable approach to the game. He suffered for this in his later years.
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But golf provides Nadal with a competitive environment that allows him to compete at an elite level without putting the same strain on his body. He spoke about it to the Miami Herald in 2012.
“I love the game of golf in general,” Nadal said. “I watched the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational all afternoon. Golf is great because you’re always in a beautiful place when you’re playing and, you know, the risk of injury is very small.”
From Seve Ballesteros to Sergio Garcia and now Jon Rahm, there is a long line of Spanish players supporting Nadal. In another world, Nadal probably would have fought them.
