Donald Trump has famously claimed that he is very hard to beat at golf and once reacted with hostility after losing to a 15-year-old during the 2007 Westchester Men’s Club Championship.
Trump, 80, celebrated winning the annual Trump National Golf Club Bedminster club and senior championship this year, allegedly carding 70 on a Par-72 course. This follows Trump’s double victory in Florida two years ago, as he continues to dominate at his own clubs.
His latest success takes his number of victories at his clubs to over 40, though his scores have been questioned during his two presidential terms. Trump has faced allegations of cheating on the course, but back in 2007, he suffered a humbling defeat.
• Donald Trump ‘called club shop and demanded club championship’ after playing different course
• Donald Trump fooled Melania Trump after she asked questions about his golf
Sportswriter Rick Reilly has accused Trump of cheating on several occasions and decided to examine his tournament history in an article for The Guardian. Reilly once said of Trump, “When it comes to cheating, he’s an 11 on a scale of one to 10.”
Reilly has continued to call out Trump, and before his Bedminster championship in 2025, he wrote on social media, “Hey Trump, tomorrow is the Senior Champ at Bedminster. Are you shameless enough to pretend you won it? Even after the whole planet saw you cheat in Scotland? Is your ego that sick.”
Trump has responded to his claims in the past, stating, “I always thought he was a terrible writer. I absolutely killed him, and he wrote very inaccurately. I would say that he’s a very dishonest writer.”
Trump has been called out for cheating in golf throughout the years -Credit:AFP via Getty Images
One report that Trump hasn’t responded to concerns the 2007 Westchester Men’s Club Championship. Trump was knocked out in the first round by 15-year-old Adam Levin, despite being four up with five holes remaining.
At the time, Trump was 60 and had called two rule violations on the 15-year-old. One was for accidentally touching the grass inside a hazard, and the other was for fixing a small ball mark off the green. Both resulted in loss-of-hole penalties.
As Trump was cruising toward victory, Levin claimed that he said to the small gallery, “The kid put up a good fight, didn’t he?” This motivated Levin, who went on a surging run at the finish.
Trump lost to the 15-year-old via a playoff and walked off -Credit:Christopher Furlong, Getty Images
Despite trailing by four holes, Levin managed to tie the match on the 18th and force a playoff. Levin completed the comeback on the second playoff hole, recording an unlikely victory and eliminating Trump.
“He didn’t even say ‘Congratulations’ or ‘Good match,’” Levin recalled. “He didn’t look me in the eye. He just shook my hand and walked off.
“He’d kind of been a d— the whole day. We were together for five or six hours, so there was plenty of time for conversation with me or my parents.
“But all he ever said was, ‘Isn’t this course fantastic?’ and ‘Aren’t these facilities the best?’ He’s a total a—– with no character.”