Trump cheats at golf, he lies about his score and hits other players' balls, claims sportswriter
An American sportswriter who once played golf with U.S. President Donald Trump has now claimed he frequently cheated on the course.
According to Rick Reilly, Trump lied about his score, took second attempts at shots for invalid reasons, and took credit for other players' shots. The sportswriter, who had the opportunity to play a round with the billionaire before he entered politics, wasn't satisfied with the then-real estate mogul's performance, Daily Mail reported.
Interestingly, Reilly claimed in a piece for The Sunday Times magazine that caddies had given Trump the nickname "Pele" because he would often move the ball to a better position with his feet.
However, the President has always denied cheating on the golf course. Reilly was writing a book about golf back in 2003 when he played a round with the future commander-in-chief at his own Trump course in New York.
"To say Donald Trump cheats is like saying Michael Phelps swims," Reilly said, trying to describe his opponent's style of play. "Trump doesn't just cheat at golf. He cheats like a three-card monte dealer. He throws it, boots it and moves it. Whether you're his pharmacist or Tiger Woods, if you're playing golf with him, he's going to cheat."
The sportswriter claimed that Trump would often take second chances on a shot, giving excuses that he had been distracted or a bird had flown over. Furthermore, he sometimes hit other players' balls that were closer to the hole.
Reilly said Trump cheated whoever he played with, including 14-time major winner Tiger Woods. The former reality TV star once ignored he had hit the ball into a water hazard while playing with the champion, he alleged.
While President Trump has often been ridiculed for spending too much time playing golf, his predecessor Barack Obama had done the same. Trump often criticized the former president tweeting he couldn't believe "with all of the problems and difficulties facing the U.S., President Obama spent the day playing golf. Worse than Carter." However, his first year in the White House saw him spend time at a golf course on 91 out of 365 days.
Trump played golf last month with two of the greatest in the sport — Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods — who are among his regular golf partners.
This is not the first time Trump has been called out for cheating on the course, although he plays golf only as a hobby. According to female golfer Suzann Pettersen, Trump played "his caddy well" as his ball would always end up on the fairway.
During the 2016 presidential race, Trump refuted claims from boxer Oscar De La Hoya saying he had cheated on the golf course. Instead, he doubled down and claimed the athlete had "played terribly" when they met in Los Angeles. "I'm a much better golfer than him," he said at the time.