If Rafael Nadal played golf: rated 86, best at nerve

Rafael Nadal as a golfer: scouting report

Rafael Nadal would grind on a golf course exactly the way he ground on clay: never conceding a point, never giving away a hole. And this is less hypothetical than it sounds, because he is a keen golfer away from tennis. Nerve is the top mark on his card. He won twenty two Grand Slam singles titles, fourteen of them at the French Open, and his comebacks from hopeless positions became famous, so a two shot deficit on the back nine is nothing he has not seen before.

His short game is right behind his nerve, and it fits a tennis player famous for touch and feel as well as power. The heavy topspin he generated on his forehand showed rare control of a moving ball, and that sense of spin and feel is exactly what a great chipper needs. His driving is a real strength too, with athletic speed that gives him distance off the tee. His course IQ and putting are both strong, so he plays smart and finishes his chances. He also won Olympic gold in singles in Beijing in 2008 and in doubles in Rio in 2016.

Iron play is the soft spot on his card. His approach shots are not as precise as the rest of his game, so long, demanding approaches can catch him out, and The Long Course Championship is his toughest fit. His best course is The Spring Major, where slick, sloping greens reward exactly the touch, short game and nerve that make him special, and where length off the tee is a bonus. He is among the strongest golfers in this group. Draft him early and pair him with a precise iron player to balance his approach game.

Plays like A relentless grinder with a great short game who never concedes a hole

Put Rafael Nadal in your lineup

5 rolls, a team of five, four majors. Can you win the Grand Slam? Free, no account.