Rafael Nadal to compete with Pep Guardiola and others in Battle Of Stars charity golf event

Rafael Nadal is set to compete with some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment in ‘The Battle of Stars’ golf event this month.

The tournament, whose profits will go to the fight against ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), will take place from June 22-24 at Mallorca’s Pula Golf Resort and Son Servera Golf Club. ALS is a rare neurodegenerative disease that results in the progressive loss of voluntary muscle movement.

Besides Nadal, one of the biggest names at the event will be soccer coach Pep Guardiola, who recently lead Manchester City to their maiden UEFA Champions League title.

Gabriel Batistuta, Alvaro Morata, Miguel Angel Nadal, Aritz Aduriz, Albert Riera, Julio Salinas, Uwe Bein, and Javier Clemente are some of the other soccer stars who will take part in the event.

Five-time motorcycle world champion Jorge Lorenzo, Nadal’s uncle and former coach Toni Nadal, and American football player Claus Elming will also be competing.

On the entertainment front, bullfighter Pepín Liria, actress Veronica Mengod, and chefs Frank Rosin and Dani García will also be seen in action.

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Rafael Nadal and his love for golf

Rafael Nadal

Besides dominating the tennis world, golf is another sport Rafael Nadal enjoys.

Nadal began playing golf competitively in 2013. Later, he and Spanish golfer José María Olazabal started a charity golf tournament called the Olazabal & Nadal Invitational in Mallorca, with all proceedings going to the Rafael Nadal Foundation and Olazabal’s Sport Mundi Foundation.

In 2020, the 36-year-old entered his first professional golf tournament at the Balearic Golf Championships, where he finished in the top 10.

Nadal has stated that he enjoys playing golf as it is a very 'social sport' and because he cannot take part in any 'aggressive' sports.

“The truth is, I’m not able to practice aggressive sports anymore. No football, or soccer, no impact or aggressive sports for my knees and my foot. Golf is a very social sport. You can compete, but at the same time it’s good that you can play with friends, family and even if you have a lower level or a higher level you can compete with the handicap,” he said. (via The Desert Sun)

Earlier last year, Nadal won the Australian Open and immediately turned his attention to golf, taking part in the Balearic Mid-Amateur Golf Championship n Mallorca. At Club de Golf Alcanada, he shot a two-over-par 74 in his best round and finished second on the leaderboard.

Later, with the Acapulco title under his belt and a 10-day gap before the Indian Wells Masters, he took time to swing his golf clubs on the pristine courses of Indian Wells.

Then, fresh off his French Open victory, he took part in the Balearic Golf Championship, a two-day golf tournament held at Club de Golf Son Servera in Mallorca.

Nadal ended Day 1 in fourth position, four strokes off the pace of leader Marc Servera Bisellach. With a score of 76, Nadal also shot four strokes more than the par score of 72.

On Day 2, he registered a score of 78, six strokes more than the par score. With an overall score of 154 (10 more than par), he finished fifth, eight strokes behind Bisellach's winning score of 146.