Trump missed an entire day of his golf club's senior championship tournament but claimed victory anyway
Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
- Trump claimed victory in a senior golf tournament, despite missing the first round of the competition.
- He was paying his respects to Diamond of "Diamond and Silk" on the first day of the tournament.
- Trump, whose company owns the course, was able to substitute in a previous score.
Former President Donald Trump claimed victory against "many fine golfers" in the Trump International Golf Club's Senior Championship, despite reportedly missing one day of the tournament to attend the funeral of his mega supporter Lynnette "Diamond" Hardaway.
"A great honor to have won the Senior Club Championship at Trump International Golf Club, one of the best courses in the Country, in Palm Beach County, Florida," Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth.
According to The Daily Mail, Trump's competitors were surprised when they showed up to the course on Sunday only to find that the former president had claimed a five-stroke lead. Trump, according to the report, was claiming that an earlier round would count for his score in lieu of him having missed the start of the tournament.
Trump paid his respects to Hardaway, part of the "Diamond and Silk" duo, during a service for her in Fayetteville, North Carolina on Saturday. In a statement to The Daily Beast, Steven Chung, a Trump spokesperson, appeared to confirm the scoring change.
"In addition to being an excellent golfer, President Trump is an even better human being," Chung said in a statement to the publication. He was honored to be in North Carolina on Saturday to celebrate the life of Diamond, a remarkable individual whose legacy will continue to live on."
As for his part, Trump added that he was publicly boasting about his exploit, because "in a very real way, it serves as a physical exam, only MUCH tougher."
During his presidency, Trump was known for spending many weekends at his Trump-owned golf courses. At multiple points, he golfed more than President Barack Obama did during his time in office, a fact that Trump repeatedly complained about at the time.
Trump's golf prowess has also been called into question. Sportswriter Rick Reilly lit into the president in a book devoted to how Trump's alleged cheating was par for the course for the rest of his personality.