Chris Gunter and Gareth Bale: Golf fans target Wales win on Masters Sunday

Wales' players were given the Bale flag by a fan after beating Hungary in November 2019

Gareth Bale's love for golf is well-established. Wales' fans even had a flag made in its honour.

When Bale was pictured with the 'Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order' banner after Wales qualified for Euro 2020, it did not go down well with his club side, Real Madrid.

But that was last year. Bale is now back at Tottenham on a season-long loan and he is currently with the Wales squad as they prepare for a Nations League double-header against the Republic of Ireland and Finland.

The 31-year-old forward sat out Thursday's goalless friendly draw with the United States, during which he was spotted on TV cameras with a laptop as he watched the game from an executive box at the Liberty Stadium.

There was some light-hearted speculation that Bale's laptop was showing the Masters, the prestigious golf tournament which started in Augusta earlier that day.

Caretaker manager Robert Page had no issues with it and neither did Wales' captain on the pitch in Swansea, Chris Gunter.

"Who doesn't keep an eye on the Masters," Wales' most-capped man asked with a smile.

"It's one of the best sporting events of the year, so we'll certainly be looking now when we get on the bus on what's been going on.

"It's something good to watch in the hotel over the next few days."

Chris Gunter (left) and Gareth Bale are aiming to help Wales stay top of Group B4 in the Nations League

Like many other footballers, Gunter and Bale are keen golfers who enjoy watching as well as playing the sport.

Wales' training base at the Vale Hotel near Cardiff boasts a golf course, while both players have been known to share images on social media of themselves enjoying a round at other courses when they have time off.

Bale is arguably more engrossed in the sport than most footballers, so much so that he was known as 'The Golfer' by some of his team-mates in Madrid.

At his home in south Wales, Bale even had some of golf's most iconic holes built on his land - the 17th at Sawgrass, the eighth at Royal Troon and the fabled 12th at Augusta.

The eyes of the sporting world will be on Augusta on Sunday as the Masters reaches its conclusion.

On the same day, Nations League Group B4 leaders Wales will host the Republic of Ireland at Cardiff City Stadium.

With the game kicking off at 17:00 GMT, Gunter hopes Wales can serve up a result to match the action at Augusta.

"I think they'll clash, won't they? This year with the time of the Masters it finishes slightly earlier than normal because of light issues," said the Charlton Athletic defender.

"But it would certainly be nice if we can get a good result on the weekend and then if anybody has a pound or two or any of the players then hopefully they can do well on the weekend.

"The most important thing for us is the football, but it is something nice to watch in next few days in the hotel."

Gunter nears 100 caps

Gunter won his 98th cap for Wales as he led them against the United States.

If he features against the Republic of Ireland on Sunday and Finland on Wednesday, the 31-year-old will become the first man to make 100 appearances for Wales.

"It's the greatest honour you can have in football to walk out and lead your country," Gunter said after Thursday's friendly.

"It's a really nice feeling, even more so when you come away with a clean sheet and things have gone quite well. It's another one [closer to 100], but it's more important you're involved in a team that performs quite well.

"Hopefully when we leave camp next week everybody's really happy over finishing the job off in terms of the Nations League group."