President Donald Trump is once again celebrating success on the golf course, announcing that he has added another pair of club championship titles to his collection while taking a playful jab at the competition.
The president revealed on social media that he won both the senior and super senior divisions at the Bedminster Club Championship, held Sunday at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey. According to Trump, he finished the tournament with a two-under-par 70, a score he said was enough to secure both titles.
To mark the occasion, Trump shared video of what he described as the winning shot, along with footage of himself accepting a championship trophy. The victory continues a familiar pattern at Bedminster, where he also claimed both senior titles in 2023.
Trump paired his announcement with characteristic confidence. In a post on Truth Social, he thanked the participants before noting that, unlike many of the other competitors, he has little opportunity to practice because of his presidential responsibilities. He then attributed the result to natural ability, writing, “It’s called TALENT, and I have it, and they don’t!”
Trump Adds Another Golf Championship
The latest win also added to what Trump says is an extraordinary competitive record. He claimed the Bedminster triumph represents his 43rd club championship victory across the golf courses he owns or has competed on over the years. Trump owns 14 golf courses, and golf has remained one of his best-known personal interests throughout his business and political career.
Not everyone has accepted those championship claims without skepticism. For years, Trump’s golf record has been the subject of debate, with critics questioning both the number of tournaments he has won and the circumstances surrounding some of those victories.
Longstanding Allegations
Those questions received extensive attention in Rick Reilly’s book Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump. Reilly, a longtime sports writer, alleged that Trump routinely improved his position on the course by moving balls from the rough into the fairway, directing caddies to interfere with opponents’ shots, and awarding himself generous “gimme” putts instead of completing short putts. Reilly also claimed that caddies at one club jokingly referred to Trump as “Pele,” comparing him to the legendary Brazilian soccer star because they believed he frequently kicked his golf ball into a better position.
Trump has consistently rejected accusations that he cheats. In 2016, retired boxing champion Oscar De La Hoya claimed he witnessed Trump recovering balls that had landed in water hazards or bushes. Trump responded by saying he had “never played a round of golf” with De La Hoya and denied the allegations. He has also emphasized that golf matters to him and dismissed claims that he bends the rules.
Supporters Defend His Game
Supporters of Trump’s golfing ability point to his performances on the course rather than the controversy surrounding them. John Nieporte, director of golf at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, and a former caddie for the president, has publicly praised Trump’s game. Nieporte has said he has watched Trump sink putts from 60-foot distances and has seen him shoot a 66 on the Florida course, presenting those performances as evidence that Trump possesses genuine tournament-caliber skill.
Whether viewed as another impressive competitive achievement or another chapter in the long-running debate over his golf record, Trump’s latest championship ensures that his performances on the course continue to attract nearly as much attention as his comments afterward.
