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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Kyle O'Sullivan

Donald Trump accused of 'cheating at highest level' at golf and has humiliating nickname

Donald Trump is not known for his honesty - and his dubious antics on the golf course have gained him a humiliating nickname.

The former US President is a massive fan of the sport, both personally and professionally, as he owes 17 golf courses worldwide through the Trump organization.

According to legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus, Trump "loves the game of golf more than he loves money", and he even installed a $50,000 room-size simulator in the White House.

Having opened his first course in 1999, Trump owns sites in the US, Ireland and Scotland, which have staggering combined losses of $315.6 million over nearly two decades.

But what about his performances with a club? 16 of the last 19 US presidents have played golf - and he would like people to believe he is the best.

However, he has been accused of "cheating at the highest level" and allegedly resorting to dirty tactics by pro golfers and celebrities.

Donald Trump is a massive golf lover (PA)
Trump putting on his Scottish golf course in Aberdeenshire (PA)

The former President has been accused of throwing opponents' balls into bunkers without them seeing and demanding ten-foot putts are conceded.

"To say 'Donald Trump cheats' is like saying 'Michael Phelps swims,'" wrote Rick Reilly in his 2019 book Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump

"He cheats at the highest level. He cheats when people are watching and he cheats when they aren't. He cheats whether you like it or not. He cheats because that's how he plays golf … if you’re playing golf with him, he's going to cheat."

It's claimed Trump has a handicap of 2.8, which would put him in the top 5% of American players.

Reilly, a former Sports Illustrated columnist who has played with Trump in the past, also said that if The Apprentice star's handicap was 2.8 then "Queen Elizabeth is pole vaulter".

He also claims Trump doesn't abide by golf etiquette, never taking his cap off for the end-of-round handshake or remove it in the clubhouse afterwards.

Some caddies have reportedly given him the nickname of 'Pele', after the late Brazilian football legend, because of his tendency to kick the ball onto the fairway.

Trump has been accused of 'cheating' (Getty Images)

While Samuel L. Jackson claimed he saw Trump hit a ball into a lake during a round they once played, but his caddy told him he found it.

When asked who the better golfer was, a smiling Jackson said: "Oh, I am, for sure. I don't cheat."

Trump doesn't just tamper with his own balls, as former EPSN football announcer Mike Tirico claims his got thrown into a bunker by the former President.

After hitting the shot of his life, Tirico couldn't find his ball, then realised it was 50-feet left of the hole inthe sand.

"Trump's caddy came up to me and said, 'You know that shot you hit on the par 5?'" said Tirico. "'It was about 10 feet from the hole. Trump threw it in the bunker. I watched him do it.'"

It's even been suggested that Trump's courses are full of lies, as he allegedly wildly exaggerates their standing in course rankings, overvalues them and even play fast and loose with their locations.

Trump reportedly has a handicap of 2.8 (PA)

At Trump Washington at Lowes Island, there's a Civil War monument between the 14th and 15th holes to indicate how many soldiers died in that spot.

A slight issue is that several Civil War historians have confirmed that no battle took place anywhere near the memorial.

Trump even managed to win a tournament at his Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida in 2018 without even competing.

He actually managed to convince the actual winner, Ted Virtue, to a one-on-one match for the title.

"The only reason you won is because I couldn't play," Trump reportedly told Virtue, who he generously offered to be "co-champions" with.

The strangest thing is that Trump is actually known to be good at golf when he wants to be, especially at the age of 76, and once got the support of Tiger Woods.

Trump owns golf courses around the world (Getty Images)

In his latest scandal, Trump claimed victory in the senior club championship at his Florida golf club - despite being 700 miles away for half of the tournament.

Competitors arriving for the final round of the two-day contest on Sunday morning were shocked to see his name at the top of the leaderboard.

He had been given a five-point lead on the overnight, then told other golfers he had played an "incredible great round", despite being at a funeral in North Carolina, almost 678 miles from his West Palm Beach course.

The unwitnessed 18 holes gave him a score of 40 points using the Stableford method - which awards one point for a bogey, two for par and three for a birdie.

Trump later boasted about his controversial win on his Truth social media account, writing: "A great honour to have won the senior club championship at Trump International Golf Club. Competed against many fine golfers and was hitting the ball long and straight.

"You need strength and stamina to WIN, & I have strength & stamina - most others don't. You also need strength & stamina to GOVERN."

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