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Donald Trump ‘lie’ over number of golf championships exposed after slip-up spotted

Donald Trump’s alleged list of accomplishments on the greens and fairways has once again come under question.

Despite the heavy load of responsibilities that come with being president, Trump has still managed to carve out nearly one-fifth of his time in office for golf. Yet he has time and again been accused of bending the rules on the links, including on his recent visit to Scotland. The most recent allegations come as Travis Kelce risks upsetting teammates after Trump’s comments on Taylor Swift.

Trump won't golf until after the election

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Most recently, Trump claimed to have won a whopping 36 Club Championships on Truth Social. Sportswriter Rick Reilly — who authored the 2019 book “Commander in Cheat,” which dives into Trump’s plethora of cheating golf scandals — swiftly poured cold water on this bold declaration, seemingly exposing a slip-up as the 79-year-old previously said he only emerged victorious in 24 tournaments.

“Number of ‘championships’ he said he had last time: 24,” Reilly wrote on X. “Number he says he suddenly has now: 36. Number that his twisted ego just skipped: 11. Number of actual ‘championships’ he’s won: 0 #CommanderInCheat.”

Speaking to VOX, Reilly additionally divulged the way in which Trump amasses fake wins in these club championships. “Trump’s going around telling people he has won 20. But that’s 100 percent a lie,” he said. “I actually played with him once, and he told me how he does it.

“Whenever he opens a new golf course, because he owns 14 and operates another five, he plays the first club champion by himself and declares that the club championship and puts his name on the wall.”

This is hardly the first time that Reilly has called out Trump for his dubious behavior on the golf course. Last month, several videos surfaced appearing to show a caddie dropping a new ball for the POTUS at a more favorable lie.

In response to one of the many clips, Reilly wrote: “So you know, it’s NEVER legal for your caddy to drop a ball. YOU can drop one, but never on a green. And since this was a full-score event, its not legal for Trump to drag the ball into the hole. No, no, never. Our president is a f—— golf cheat.

“His caddies also tee him up in the rough, toss his ball out of bunkers, and roll back six footers to him,” Reilly continued in a separate post. “How else is a 79-y-o fat guy supposed to win championships?”

One day prior, Trump faced another wave of criticism once he sunk a putt at Turnberry but chose not to retrieve his ball from the hole. As he strolled off the green, his caddie quickly dashed over to retrieve the ball, moments after his attempt to celebrate with the U.S. President was overlooked.

According to Reilly, Trump’s cheating ways and attitude on the links are the reasons why he’s the “WORST thing to ever happen” to the sport. “Now the world thinks it’s just 4 old fat rich white guys who drive their carts on the green, have their caddies cheat 4 them + lie that they won tournaments they didn’t even enter. Plz switch to pickleball,” he added.

Rory McIlroy Says People Had ‘Ill Intentions’ After Erica Stoll Divorce News Went Public

A year of making headlines both on and off the golf course took an admitted toll on Rory McIlroy.

The golf superstar, 35, filed for divorce from his wife of seven years, Erica Stoll, in May 2024, before McIlroy rescinded the petition and reconciled with Stoll, 37, the following month. 

During a confessional in season 3 of Netflix’s Full Swing, which premiered on Tuesday, February 25, McIlroy discussed how the ordeal impacted him. 

Rory McIlroy Spoke of People With Ill Intentions After Erica Stoll Divorce News Went Public

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“There’s parts of my life that I like to keep as private as possible,” he said. “Unfortunately, in this line of work, that isn’t always possible.”

News of McIlroy’s divorce filing went public just days before the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. McIlroy refused to discuss the divorce during any of his press conferences at the tournament. 

In his confessional, filmed after he and Stoll had reconciled, McIlroy reflected, “I’ve always tried to be protective of my loved ones from people that have ill intentions. I think it was a wake-up call for me to say, ‘Let’s just focus on the golf for a little bit.’”

McIlroy later added, “I’ve been at this a long time. I’ve been on tour for 17, 18 years. I like when the attention is on my golf. Sometimes that is impossible.”

While McIlroy declined to comment at the time, his shocking divorce news was the talk of the build-up to the tournament. 

“Aside from whatever impact it had on his personal life, it was just another thing,” golf personality Dan Rapaport said in a Full Swing confessional. “No one cares about your divorce unless you’ve won majors. That’s life. The more success you have, the more people care about your personal life.”

Rapaport added, “As much as Rory tried, he could not change the topic of conversation.”

Golf influencer Paige Spiranac agreed, saying in a confessional, “Oh, Rory. Gosh, he is just constantly put in the firing zone. It must put such a toll on him.”

At the U.S. Open in June 2024, shortly after McIlroy and Stoll reconciled, Netflix cameras caught a conversation between McIlroy and golfer Martin Kaymer, in which McIlroy explained his wife had expressed interest in switching up their lifestyle a little bit. 

“If it was up to her, she wouldn’t move to England straightaway, but she definitely wants to spend more time there,” McIlroy told Kaymer, 40. 

McIlroy, who is Irish, and Stoll, who was born in New York, share daughter Poppy, 4.

Rory McIlroy loophole could be banned as PGA Tour sanction threat made

Golf star Rory McIlroy has received a warning that he may not be able to skip the FedEx Cup’s opening playoff event indefinitely.

The reigning Masters champ is currently the sole golfer out of the 70-man lineup who has chosen to sit out this weekend’s whopping $20 million showdown at TPC Southwind. PGA Tour policy board player director Peter Malnati expressed significant concern over the absence of a high-caliber player like McIlroy from the tournament.

Fighting sickness, Rory McIlroy salvages 71 to open PGA Championship - PGA  TOUR

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With three wins under his belt this season, the Northern Irishman comfortably sits in second place, trailing only behind world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, and doesn’t necessarily need to join the fray in the first of the three FedEx Cup events. McIlroy has already secured his entry into the next playoff event, the BMW Championship, but he still faces the possibility of dropping in the overall season rankings.

When asked if future penalties could be imposed on players who skip playoff events, Malnati hinted: “I think there is stuff in the works, and I’ll leave it at that.”

However, Webb Simpson, another player-director on the Tour board appeared less bothered by McIlroy’s decision: “I think it’s too hard of a thing to make guys have to play. We’re still a sport where you can play when you want to play.

“I knew I couldn’t fall more than one spot, and I thought losing one stroke at East Lake was worth a week of rest because I was toast. I don’t know Rory’s reason, but I totally get it. It’s a hard to thing to fix.”

From the PGA’s viewpoint, the organization clearly desires its top-tier and most talented players to compete as frequently as possible. However, with McIlroy’s financial security well established and his current focus primarily on prize competition at this career stage, they simply cannot compel such a recognizable figure to participate when his enthusiasm isn’t there.

McIlroy, who characterized this year’s Open as an event he’ll “never forget” despite falling short of the championship, is far from the first professional to skip such a competition. Tiger Woods made identical decisions in both 2007 and 2019, citing fatigue and an oblique muscle injury during those particular instances.

It was nearly two decades ago when Woods withdrew from the inaugural FedEx Cup event. Nevertheless, he went on to claim victory in the final two playoff tournaments and captured the first-ever cup.

McIlroy, who has recently settled into his stunning new residence in Surrey, will be hoping to mirror those remarkable achievements after bypassing the opening tournament of this year’s series. Such an outcome remains entirely possible given his track record of three FedEx Cup victories.

The Holywood native’s decision shouldn’t come as a surprise to Tour administrators, having telegraphed his withdrawal intentions nine months earlier in November 2024: “I finished, basically, dead last there [last] year, and only moved down one spot in the playoff standings.”

Penalties might be levied against players who follow McIlroy’s example moving forward. However, Jordan Spieth, a former Tour player policy director, anticipates such withdrawals will continue to be uncommon.

“You might have one or two guys do that for an event,” Spieth commented. “But I don’t think it will become a thing, because they are still huge events against the best players in the world.

“I think they’re trying to figure out how to make sure you don’t skip both of them and ideally neither of them.”

Rory McIlroy ‘reluctant’ to return to the USA ahead of Ryder Cup, says golf reporter

Rory McIlroy is reluctant to return to America after spending a month in the UK for The Open Championship, according to a golf reporter.

McIlroy played in The Open Championship at his home course, Royal Portrush, to round off the major season. 2025 saw McIlroy complete the career Grand Slam at the Masters, and he returned home a hero.

Rory McIlroy says Ryder Cup success felt like major win but rues runners-up finish at US Open | Golf News | Sky Sports

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He now heads back to America for the Ryder Cup in New York, as Europe look to double down on their humiliation of Team USA in Rome. But Jamie Weir said that after speaking to McIlroy, he is reluctant to go back.

Rory McIlroy ‘reluctant’ to return to America after hometown reception

Five-time major winner McIlroy said he wanted to hide from the stresses of the PGA Tour before the Genesis Scottish Open. He was snappy with the media after winning the Masters, but appeared to be far happier after his return to Europe.

That said, Weir said McIlroy was not pleased to be heading back stateside. On the Sky Sports Golf podcast, he said, “Speaking to Rory, he’s really endured being back this side of the pond for a few weeks.

“The Open Championship, okay he might not have lifted the Claret Jug, but just feeling the love and what he means to the people of Northern Ireland was a massive, massive feather in his cap.

“I think he’s really enjoyed being over here and he’s slightly reluctant to get back to the States. I think that goes for quite a few European golfers.”

McIlroy said he spoke to Englishman Justin Rose about how happy he was to be back in Europe on the journey to the Scottish Open. He’ll be back for the Irish Open and the BMW PGA Championship in early September, but his thoughts are on the Ryder Cup.

Weir continued, “For Rory, it’s all about trying to conserve his energy because the big one circled in red on the calendar for Rory is Bethpage at the end of September. That is the number one goal: win a Ryder Cup on U.S. soil.”

Rory McIlroy looks to complete US humiliation at the Ryder Cup

McIlroy turned his attention to the Ryder Cup immediately after The Open. As Team USA look to avenge their humiliation in Rome, Europe and McIlroy hope to pile on their misery in front of their home fans.

The Americans are faced with a complex selection process, as captain Keegan Bradley decides whether to pick himself to become the first playing captain since 1963. It’s less complicated for Europe, who can focus on the task at hand.

McIlroy played when Europe last won in America. It was “The Miracle at Medinah”, where Europe staged one of the greatest comebacks in Ryder Cup history, rallying from a 10–6 deficit on the final day with a dominant singles performance.

McIlroy was involved in final-day drama. He arrived just in time for his singles match after confusion about his tee time, but still defeated Bradley.

Last time the Ryder Cup was in New York, Europe pulled off another comeback win. A victory for Europe could plunge the Americans into crisis, and that’s exactly what McIlroy plans to do.

15-time major champion Tiger Woods, still active if not for an injury, captivated the world’s attention during his celebrated come-up in the golf world in the late 1990s.

And According to new book, ‘Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York’ by Andrew Lownie, he had a fan in the royal family.

The famous golfer enjoyed a publicized friendship with Sarah Ferguson, the 65-year-old Duchess of York who married Prince Andrew in 1986 before the pair separated in 1992.

Sarah Ferguson 'sought out romance with Tiger Woods' after divorce from  Prince Andrew

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According to the book, before Woods began a troubled relationship with his future wife Elin Nordegren, he was one of a slew of American male celebrities — including John F. Kennedy Jr, George Clooney, and Kevin Costner — who Ferguson allegedly pursued.

It is claimed she told her friend and longtime media personality Piers Morgan of her interest in Woods, calling him “gorgeous,” before supposedly flying 1,500 miles to try to woo him following her separation from Prince Andrew.

On a similar trip, Ferguson allegedly looked for JFK Jr. ““On a trip to New York, Fergie asked her staff to find out if John F Kennedy Jnr…was in town and, discovering where he was, she invited him for drinks or dinner at her hotel, which he accepted.” Lownie’s book reads.

Ferguson never met Kennedy, but did meet Woods. The pair ended up as friends, and shortly after, she was pictured with the celebrated golfer as he won the Byron Nelson Tournament in 1997.

She also supported Woods as he battled back from a littany of injuries and off the course issues to surprisingly capture the 2019 Masters title.

“Never have I been more proud,” Ferguson wrote on Instagram in support of her friend. “Good days and bad days, Tigers’ heart is loyal, steadfast, and he is an amazing friend.”

Woods was married to Nordegren — who he met when she nannied for fellow golfer Jesper Parnevik — from 2004 to 2010. The pair has two children together: Samantha (18) and Charlie (16).

Their divorce was the subject of ample media coverage as Woods admitted to infidelity. Nordegren eventually started dating former NFL tight end Jordan Cameron, with whom she has three further children.

Woods, 49, is currently dating Vanessa Trump, the ex-wife of Donald Trump Jr. (the son of President Donald Trump). The couple announced the relationship on Instagram and called for “privacy” in a post receiving over 500,000 likes.

The Telegraph says a representative for the Duchess of York declined to comment.

Amanda Balionis and Rory McIlroy’s immense impact on CBS Sports has been laid bare after the network reported its most-watched golf season in the last seven years.

Over the course of the PGA Tour season, CBS has been front and center for some of the biggest moments that the sport has to offer. McIlroy’s historic win at The Masters — coupled with Balionis’ raw and authentic coverage — have delivered record-breaking viewership numbers and generated immense excitement around the company.

According to a press release, CBS’ golf coverage averaged 2.969 million viewers in 2025 — marking a whopping 17% increase from last year and the best since 2018. 14 of the 19 Final Rounds broadcast on the network, meanwhile, experienced a year-over-year viewership increase.

Rory McIlroy has 'awkward' interview with Amanda Balionis | Toronto Sun

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Most recently, the Wyndham Championship — during which long-time CBS commentator Ian Baker-Finch called Cameron Young’s winning putt on hole No. 18 — enjoyed its most-watched Final Round in five years with an average of 1.951 million viewers.

As Balionis noted, however, the success that CBS has enjoyed this year if it weren’t for Baker-Finch, who laid down the foundation over 19 years with the network before announcing his retirement from broadcasting.

Taking to Instagram, Balionis bid an emotional goodbye to Baker-Finch while filming from the CBS set. It’s been an incredible year,” she began.

“And I’d be remiss if I didn’t say the biggest storyline — at least for us on Golf on CBS — is that today we are saying a final farewell to our friend Ian Baker-Finch.

“He is retiring to spend more time with his family, with his wife, Jenny, with his grandkids. And we’re so happy for him, but of course, we are sad for us.

“Nineteen years with CBS — pretty incredible stuff. Thirty years in broadcasting total, and then of course a major champion, elite golfer, all before that.”

In a separate tribute video, Balionis added: “Ian, we are all going to miss you so much. From the moment that I started with this team, you have led with so much kindness and compassion.

“I am also going to miss the dad jokes. But most of all, I am going to miss every Saturday and Sunday, knowing I can count on seeing you and your smiling face, and bringing so much joy to our entire crew.”

Following a decorated playing stint that included a major championship win in 1991, Baker-Finch pursued a second career as a broadcaster. While the 64-year-old has made appearances on multiple networks over the last 30 years, he eventually found a permanent home with CBS upon joining them as an analyst in 2006.

“Whatever you think of Ian Baker-Finch being in your home the last thirty years, and I know it’s a great feeling having him as a friend from far away,” Baker-Finch’s CBS colleague Jim Nantz said.

“Whatever you thought he was like, it’s ten times better. He’s one of the the great people all of us at CBS will ever know.”

Rory McIlroy has been warned he may not be able to skip the FedEx Cup’s first playoff for much longer, after he elected not to play in one of the three legs.

The reigning Masters champion is the only player from a field of 70 that won’t be taking to the course for the £15million event at TPC Southwind this week.

Peter Malnati, a player director on the PGA Tour Policy Board, admitted that he was “very” concerned that a top star such as McIlroy would not be competing. With three wins this year, the Northern Ireland star has already found himself in second place behind Scottie Scheffler in the rankings and has no sporting reason to play beyond an ambition to win the tournament.

Rory McIlroy faces driver troubles before U.S. Open after missing  tournament cut | Fox News

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He has already secured a place in the second playoff event, the BMW Championship, though he could still drop in the season-long standings.

When asked if players could be punished in the future for missing playoff events, Malnati replied with a thinly-veiled threat: “I think there is stuff in the works and I’ll leave it at that.”

But Webb Simpson, a fellow player director on the tour board, appeared to have no issue with McIlroy’s decision.

“I think it’s too hard of a thing to make guys have to play. We’re still a sport where you can play when you want to play,” Simpson said.

“I knew I couldn’t fall more than one spot and I thought losing one stroke at East Lake was worth a week of rest because I was toast. I don’t know Rory’s reason but I totally get it. It’s a hard to thing to fix.”

McIlroy is far from the first player to skip such an event. Tiger Woods did so in both 2007 and 2019, citing fatigue and an oblique strain on those occasions.

In 2007, Woods withdrew from the inaugural FedEx Cup event but went on to win the final two playoff events and claim the first cup.

McIlroy’s decision should not come as a surprise to tour chiefs, however, having signalled his intention to pull out nine months ago. “I finished, basically, dead last there (last) year, and only moved down one spot in the playoff standings,” he said in November.

Penalties may be enforced for players who follow in McIlroy’s footsteps moving forward, but Jordan Spieth, who was a former tour player policy director, thinks that such absences will remain uncommon.

“You might have one or two guys do that for an event but I don’t think it will become a thing because they are still huge events against the best players in the world,” Spieth said. “I think they’re trying to figure out how to make sure you don’t skip both of them and ideally neither of them.”

In case you were wondering the sort of impact Ian Baker-Finch had on the golfers he covered for 30 years, his departure prompted Tiger Woods to make a rare statement.

Baker-Finch made the somewhat surprising announcement recently that he was retiring from his on-course broadcasting work. The former Open Championship winner carved out a very successful broadcasting career with the last 19 years coming as a staple of CBS Sports’ coverage of the PGA Tour.

Ultimately, though, he decided to walk away to spend more time with his family. While he noted in an appearance recently on Golf Channel that he and the network couldn’t come to terms on a new contract, he also said he knew it was time to do other things.

TWLEGION on X: "🚨👏🏻🎙️ Tiger Woods takes to X with a congratulatory  message for longtime CBS commentator Ian Baker-Finch who is signing off  after today's round for the final time. https://t.co/jnAHzV4CcW" /

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Ian Baker-Finch Opens Up About Retirement Decision

“I always knew that I’d know when I felt like it was the right time,” he said on “Golf Central” ahead of the tournament. “I’ve been mulling over the decision for quite a while now this year. My contract was up, I know I’d love to stay in so many ways … this year was my 41st time at those events 9(Masters, RBC Heritage, etc.) as a player and announcer and I said ‘You know, that’s too long.’ There’s other things to be done. I’ve lost a few friends, unfortunately, rest their souls, and I’m 65 at the end of the year and figured it was a good time to step away and go do something else.”

IBF’s final appearance came at the Wyndham Championship where he was showered with the praise and admiration he’s earned after a wonderful run in golf media. He has been synonymous with some of the game’s biggest tournaments and moments, and his passion for the sport mixed with high-level knowledge made him a comforting, entertaining piece of the golf-watching experience for three decades.

Tiger Woods Praises Ian Baker-Finch for 30 Years of Memories

Woods acknowledged as much with a farewell message as Baker-Finch’s career came to a close.

“Congrats Finchy for 30 incredible years behind the microphone,” Woods said in a tweet during the final round. “You brought insight into things that the viewing audience could understand and relate to. From all of us – thanks for the memories.”

While recovering from yet another injury, Woods has largely stayed quiet. The 15-time major champion has tweeted just three times for something other than a partnership or sponsorship since April. The first was to congratulate Rory McIlroy on the career grand slam, the second was to welcome Brian Rolapp as the Tour’s new CEO and the third was to give IBF his flowers.

Woods’ message was just part of the well-deserved sendoff. CBS celebrated Baker-Finch during Cameron Young’s runaway win Sunday, giving his coworkers time to wish him the best. Frank Nobilo, Trevor Immelman and Jim Nantz all spoke emotionally about their respect for their teammate.

“Whatever you think of Ian Baker Finch being in your home the last 30 years,” Nantz said to close the segment, “and I know it’s a great feeling having him as a friend from far away whatever you thought of him from far away, it’s 10 times better.”

The much-hyped peace talks between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf once carried hopes of reuniting the fractured world of pro golf. 

Tiger Woods promised fans earlier this year that “things are going to heal quickly.” However, the world of golf is taken by storm as none of those promises feels true anymore. Behind closed doors, the second White House meeting ended in silence. With both sides doubling down and no signs of compromise, fans are left speculating what really happened.

CBS insiders Rex Hoggard and Ryan Lavner have provided a rare peek into what derailed the PGA Tour–LIV Golf negotiations. Speaking on Golf Channel, Hoggard remarked on the last meeting, “That meeting we now know did not go well. Clearly, there were some things that came up in that meeting that both sides seem entrenched on and they’re not going to negotiate.”

What Tiger Woods said about LIV Golf players returning to the PGA Tour 12  months ago as merger draws closer

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Hoggard didn’t mince words about the current standoff: “Both sides feel like they have the upper hand… that they have all the leverage they need and that they don’t need to negotiate.” But in his view, that’s a delusion. “I don’t believe that’s true. I think both sides suffer from the divide in golf.” He also referenced fan frustration: “The fans themselves told the PGA Tour… they want to see the best players playing together more often. Right now, it’s just the four majors.”

Lavner, meanwhile, took a swipe at Woods’ earlier optimism. “Yeah, I’m laughing at it as well,” he said, recalling Woods’ upbeat visit to the CBS booth during the Genesis Invitational. “He spoke so optimistically, saying all the best players are going to be back… I think that clip is going to live in infamy.” Lavner’s remark underscores just how derailed the two worlds of golf are from each other.

PGA Tour and LIV divide not likely to close any time soon despite Wood’s promises

Adam Scott, a key figure on the PGA Tour’s policy board, has confirmed what many had suspected. Negotiations between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf have effectively stalled since their last murky White House meeting in February. Speaking ahead of the Wyndham Championship, Scott said bluntly, “There’s not much happening… Those conversations haven’t advanced far from there.” Despite being in the room with Jay Monahan, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, and Donald Trump, Scott dismissed the need for further political theatrics, calling the experience unique but ultimately unproductive.

Golf phenoms like Tiger Woods had painted a rosy picture of the PGA’s hopeful narrative. However, Woods’ statements couldn’t be further from reality. His public optimism stood in stark contrast to the stalled talks behind closed doors.

With both sides entrenched and new leadership in place, the question remains. Is reconciliation still possible, or are LIV and the Tour destined to remain rivals, shaping two separate futures for professional golf?

The PGA Tour is expected to return to one of President Trump’s golf courses in 2026.

Trump Doral in Florida hosted a prominent PGA Tour tournament for several years. However, for the past decade, the PGA Tour has stayed away, possibly for political reasons. That is expected to change beginning in 2026.

According to a report from the  Sports Business Journal report, which cited “five industry sources,” Trump Doral is expected to host a PGA Tour tournament beginning in 2026.

Trump to open second golf course at Scotland resort in summer 2025  -PrestigeOnline Singapore

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It’s expected to host a tournament in next year’s April 30-May 3 date window, which falls between the Zurich Classic and Truist Championship.

Tiger Woods is a major fan of President Trump’s courses.

Earlier this year, Tiger Woods and his son, Charlie Woods, played a round of golf with President Trump at his course in Florida. Perhaps we’ll see Tiger Woods competing at the PGA Tour event at President Trump’s course in 2026. Tiger Woods will need to be healthy, of course, but he has a good relationship with the President of the United States.

If Tiger Woods is physically able to play, it’s likely that he’ll be competing at President Trump’s tournament.

LIV Golf star Bryson DeChambeau, meanwhile, wants to see The Open Championship return to President Trump’s course in Scotland, Trump Turnberry.

“I look at it as a golf course,” DeChambeau said after his round on Friday. “It’s one of the best golf courses in the world, and I’d love for it to be a part of the rotation.

“Albeit I haven’t played it, I’ve heard so many great things about it, and any time you get to play a special historical golf course like that, I think it’s worthy of it, for sure.”

DeChambeau thinks President Trump would do a great job of hosting the event.

“He’d still probably respect the R&A and what they’re trying to accomplish,” DeChambeau said. “I can’t speak on his behalf, but what I can say is, knowing him, he’ll do his best of a job as he possibly can.”