Whatever one may think of former President Donald Trump, there are two apolitical things about the fiery Republican that most people can probably agree on:
- The man loves to golf.
- The man is pretty good at golf, especially for a septuagenarian.
Given that, it should come as little surprise that Trump is a generally beloved figure in the golf world, with tons of famous golfing buddies.
One of Trump’s most notable friends on the links is golf star Bryson DeChambeau.
Given all the above, most people probably just assumed that it was a matter of when, not if, Trump would appear on DeChambeau’s popular “Break 50” YouTube series.
(The point of the series is for DeChambeau and a typically-famous friend to try and complete 18 holes in fewer than 50 strokes while using the closest tees. It’s a daunting, but not impossible, task.)
Anyone who did assume that turned out to be correct when DeChambeau posted the highly anticipated episode on Tuesday.
Trump and DeChambeau connected for 18 holes at Trump’s own golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey.
While the near-hour long video covered a number of topics (including Trump’s musical tastes), one of the most viral moments of the entire clip came from an exemplary bit of golfing from Trump.
You can watch the entire episode below, but it’s set to begin at the most relevant portion:
In the viral clip, Trump, walking up to the 12th hole, belts a tee shot that set up a very simple eagle — golf parlance for coming in two strokes under par — putt that the former president sank easily.
So impressed was DeChambeau that when he and Trump were approaching the green, the pro golfer giddily exclaimed, “Oh, look at that!” while pointing to how well Trump had hit it.
According to the uploaded video, by Tuesday afternoon the golf exhibition with Trump and DeChambeau raised over $15,000 for the Wounded Warriors Project, a fund that aids wounded veterans.
When DeChambeau first announced this event, he immediately clarified that this event was about golf and helping veterans, and not about politics. Curiously, that same post made it seem like DeChambeau reached out to incumbent President Joe Biden, but to no avail.
To be clear, this is about golf and giving back to our nation’s veterans, not politics. A few weeks ago I reached out to both parties’ presidential campaigns and @realDonaldTrump was down for the challenge. It is an incredible honor to be able to enjoy a round of golf with any…
— Bryson DeChambeau (@b_dechambeau) July 22, 2024
(It should be noted that this particular episode of Break 50 was filmed before both the July 13 assassination attempt and Biden’s subsequent withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race.)
“To be clear, this is about golf and giving back to our nation’s veterans, not politics,” DeChambeau posted on Monday. “A few weeks ago I reached out to both parties’ presidential campaigns and @realDonaldTrump was down for the challenge.
Do you think Trump will win in November?
“It is an incredible honor to be able to enjoy a round of golf with any sitting or former president, and all have an open invitation to join me for a round of Break 50 anytime.”
Trump, for his part, appeared to enjoy the non-political setting and being away from the hounding media, as he showed off a warmer, more human side to his persona in the video.
DeChambeau is hardly the only star golfer to be connected to Trump in the wake of the Butler assassination attempt.
Golf superstar Tiger Woods openly admitted recently that he was physically unable to sleep after the attempt.
