PGA Tour star Sam Burns once played golf with Donald Trump but was “too scared” to speak to his wife Melania Trump. The five-time PGA Tour event winner was invited to tee off with Trump, who is facing cheating allegations on the golf course, several months after the 2024 election. He played a round with the president-elect before enjoying dinner with Trump, his wife and their entourage - including tech tycoon Elon Musk - at Florida's prestigious Mar-A-Lago restaurant.
Meeting the First Lady
The 30-year-old has since spoken about the unique experience several times, admitting he was more nervous in the First Lady's presence than Trump himself, having been left in awe of Melania. Burns told Golf's Subpar show: “The coolest was meeting the First Lady, she is legit. Very intimidating. Would not want to mess with her.”
When asked about whether he had the chance to converse with Melania, Burns replied: “I was very scared to talk to her. I just introduced myself and said hello. That was pretty much it.”
What Trump is like on the course
He then highlighted what it was like sharing a table with the likes of the president. Burns said of Trump: “People ask, 'What's he like?' He's exactly how you'd think he would be. 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.”
Shedding light on how a round of golf with Trump plays out, Burns revealed that there's an abundance of security surrounding the president and his nearest. He added: “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.”
Other famous golfers' views
Trump, who owns several courses across the US, Europe and Asia, has received plenty of attention for his golf in the years since, both for good and bad reasons. He played with England football captain Harry Kane at Palm Beach, which the striker described as a “surreal experience.” Kane added: “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.”
UFC star Bo Nickal also described the US president as an “amazing golfer”, highlighting his ability to handle pressure on the course as a standout attribute.
