How Golfer Donald Trump Got Stuck in the Soccer Scene
It has been months of soccer, but despite that, there was a surprising report from the world of golf: Donald Trump named Harry Kane, the English soccer player from FC Bayern Munich, as his golfing partner. This had taken place a year and a half ago. Kane, who has a spectacularly low 3-handicap, confirmed this when asked and described the experience as "surreal." For Kane, this forced revelation has had consequences. He didn't score a single goal in the World Cup (and wasn't even put in the line-up by his coach, Thomas Tuchel, for the final match).
By now, the list of people who have played a round of golf with the aging "presidential actor" reads like a who's who of prominent celebrities. There are various professional golfers, such as the elderly Jack Nicklaus and Gary Payer; Tiger Woods, who has played multiple times with Trump; Annika Sörenstam; Ernie Els; the supposed philanthropist Bernhard Langer; and even the Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy. McIlroy later said he would never subject himself to a fall from grace like that again. At least that's something.
Even beyond the golf scene, Trump has lured numerous people to his side, including Japan's former prime minister, Shinzo Abe, and notorious figures such as his recently deceased political ally Sen. Lindsey Graham, figure of ridicule Rudy Giuliani and basketball legend Michael Jordan. Hollywood actor Samuel L. Jackson, who received an Oscar nomination for his role in Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction," reported that after playing a round, he was amused that Mr. President simply places his ball in a more advantageous position or knocks his opponent’s ball off the green and into the sand bunker.
The Norwegian professional golfer Suzann Pettersen had a similar experience. "He cheats like hell. So I don't quite know how he is in business. They say that if you cheat at golf, you cheat at business. I'm pretty sure he pays his caddie well, since no matter how far into the woods he hits the ball, it's in the middle of the fairway when we get there," she said.
"He always says he is the world's best putter. But in all the times I've played him, he's never come close to breaking 80. But what's strange is that every time I talk to him he says he just golfed a 69, or that he set a new course record or won a club championship some place. I just laugh. I'm someone who likes being teased and I like teasing others, and Trump takes it well, and that must be why he likes me." The gifted golfer has long been celebrated not only as "Commander in Chief" but also as "Commander in Cheat," in other words, a "Cheater in Chief."
Annoying
The World Cup final, which golfer Trump had to visit as a clueless host, was a nuisance. Not only because the dreadful communist Pedro Sánchez from the tiny country of Spain was sitting near him, but also that the tens of thousands of paid antifa applauders dared to boo him, the "Greatest One," as he stepped onto the field. Not only that, but he was only able to squeeze into the winner's photo for a few moments, and later, the deal to sell this strange sport to his family clan via FIFA-buddy Gianni Infantino failed.
It was almost downright outrageous that Argentinians Óscar Romero and Lautaro MartÃnez were able to avoid shaking hands with Trump with an elegantly evasive maneuver. Although, considering the Argentinians' toxic World Cup performance, it would have been more appropriate to have gripped the golf-loving president’s hand with such force that he might never be able to hold a club ever again, or at least not sign another decree.
When it comes to golf, there is an additional humiliation: because of this odd soccer commitment, Trump missed watching the dramatic final holes of the British Open, which is the oldest golf tournament in the world. It's actually a must-see — especially since his frequent playing partner and sycophant, Bryson DeChambeau, was trying to win the tournament at the time.
In the end, his buddy failed miserably, and then, on the final hole, two other Americans, Sam Burns and Cameron Young, were overtaken by the largely unknown New Zealander Ryan Fox. Sensational victory, a great guy, the absolute best.
