Four British sports stars have shared their experiences of playing golf with US President Donald Trump, offering insights into his character and golfing ability. The 80-year-old owns 15 championship courses worldwide, including Trump Turnberry and Trump International in Scotland, and a course in County Clare, Ireland.
Wayne Rooney's Surreal Encounter
Former Manchester United star Wayne Rooney played golf with Trump after giving golf lessons to his son Barron. Speaking on The Overlap, Rooney recalled: "[He'd] asked me to give his son [Barron] football lessons. and [Barron] said 'Do you want to see my dad?' He took me up into the Oval Office and then from there, his [personal assistant] was just texting - 'do you want to play a few holes [of golf?]'"
The former England international joined Trump on the greens alongside former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani. Rooney described the experience: "The maddest thing about it was we had Giuliani in the buggy behind us. Then there were about 50-100 golf buggies that were all security. There was a boat in the lake with snipers, there were snipers in the bushes, and I was like 'What's going on here?!'"
Harry Kane's Praise for Trump's Game
England captain Harry Kane described his golf round with Trump as "surreal," noting that the President is surprisingly skilled at the sport. Revealing the chance encounter ahead of the 2026 World Cup, Kane said: "I played alright to be honest. He invited me to play when I was down in Palm Beach. So yeah, when the president invites you somewhere... It was a pretty surreal experience just to meet him and obviously play golf with him. His golf is pretty good, to be honest with you. I hope I can play golf as good as him when I'm his age, that's for sure. A unique experience, but I was just grateful that he invited me to play."
Rory McIlroy's Political Insights
Rory McIlroy saw eye to eye with Trump on the LIV Golf controversy in 2025, stating that the President was not a fan of the new format. McIlroy said: "I said 'you've hosted their events?' but he said 'it doesn't mean I like it'. I think he's on the tour's [PGA Tour] side."
Discussing Trump's influence, the Northern Irishman added: "He can be influential, he loves golf, I was playing with a Sheikh Hamdan of Abu Dhabi the day he got elected in November, the respect he has in the Middle East, I don't think people understand the respect he has there, so I think whenever he says something they listen, so that's a big thing." McIlroy played golf with Trump in 2017 but later claimed he would never appear on the greens with him again, saying: "I haven't done it since ... out of choice."
Lee Westwood's Praise for Trump's Putting
Lee Westwood has been the most complimentary, calling Trump a 'fantastic putter.' The pair often played together during Westwood's time in Florida in the early 2010s, texting one another for a round between 2012 and 2015. Speaking on talkSPORT in June, the 53-year-old said: "I lived in Florida from 2012 to 2015 and I actually played with Donald Trump quite a lot. Yeah. I used to get a text, 'You doing anything this afternoon?' And we go down and I go playing a two-ball with him. So I've spent quite a lot of time with President Trump. As a golfer, he kind of gets it around the golf course in his own way. He's a fantastic putter. That's the biggest praise I can heap on him."
