PGA Tour star Sam Burns once described US president Donald Trump as "brutally honest" on the golf course. Despite that, the 80-year-old is facing fresh allegations of cheating following his latest victory.
Trump, who is currently serving his second presidential term, is known for being an avid golfer. The billionaire has even been accused of showing more dedication to his hobby than his presidency, with reports claiming in 2025 that he had spent an estimated 25% of his days in office out on the course. He also owns a number of courses across the US, Europe and Asia.
It was at one of these courses - Trump National Bedminster in New Jersey - that he secured his latest triumph in the Bedminster Club Championship.
Trump's winning claim
Trump claimed to have sealed his win with a score of 70 and shared a clip of his supposed winning shot on his social media platform, Truth Social. He wrote: "I won with a score of 70, and am so honoured in that, unlike the rest of the field, I’m given very little time to practice, because I’m focused on many other things. It’s called TALENT, and I have it, and they don’t!"
However, not everyone was convinced that the politician actually achieved a two under par finish. Golf fans took to social media to claim foul play, with one fan alleging: "Watched him live for years, listened to his caddies stories. Everyone around him allows him to cheat out of fear. Nothing he does is genuine. All his 'feats' are fake, and he actually feels special."
Another claimed to have seen footage of the president's caddie moving the ball for him. On a video shared by Trump of him playing the 'winning shot' at the Bedminster Club Championship, further users raised questions over the footage, which depicted a ball delicately chipped onto the green and coming to a halt close to the hole.
Fan allegations
"Lol 100% that golf ball is remote controlled! those bounces are not normal," one wrote. "That ball had a string : ) or front brakes," another suggested. There was even a separate allegation of "A little helpful foot tap at some point by someone."
Others pointed out that the ball never actually dropped into the hole, as Trump is well known for conceding putts when the ball is considered close enough. One user wrote: "Did it 'automatically' count as 'going in the hole'? Just being in the general area?"
Whether there is any truth behind these allegations or not, Trump often plays golf with celebrities, including England football captain Harry Kane, none of whom have verified such claims.
Sam Burns' experience
American professional golfer Burns, who has been a mainstay on the PGA Tour since turning pro in 2017, and a five-time PGA Tour event winner, played a pre-2024 re-election round of golf with Trump. He opened up about playing alongside the president and highlighted his "brutal honesty" after taking a trip to Mar-a-Lago, another golf club owned by the president, for a meal with Trump and Elon Musk.
"People ask, 'What's he like?' He's exactly how you'd think he would be," Burns recalled. "He's exactly what you see on TV: brutally honest. He's very open; you can pretty much ask him anything.
"And he loves golf. He has some really funny stories, so it's pretty cool to listen to. I asked him some stuff. I wasn't sure if he would answer or not, but he did."
"On any hole, there's close to 20 carts. If you're paying attention and looking, you'll see snipers, secret service everywhere. It's funny, [because] I don't know if this is the safest place or the most dangerous place in the world to be. I think it's kind of both at the same time."
