Winning any golf tournament is special for amateurs. That’s true even for the former POTUS Donald Trump. The Republican Candidate appeared on the legendary coach Bill Belichick’s and Jim Gray’s “Let’s Go” podcast on the election eve. Among many topics, ranging from Caitlin Clark to Mike Tyson’s upcoming duel with Jake Paul, Trump also touched upon Golf. 

Back in March, the 78-year-old shared that he won both the Club Championship and Senior Club Championship at his course, Trump International. Jack Nicklaus came down to present the trophy as well. Now in his recent appearance, Trump shared his experience and learnings.

To explain the pressure that an amateur feels in a club championship, the 78-year-old said, “Club championships. for us, [are] like a major, you know. Just a real club championship. Always a lot of really good players. You have to be able to handle pressure.”  Adding further, Donald Trump revisited an encounter with a scratch golfer.

That golfer apparently told the former POTUS that standing over a 3-footer at big tournaments, his vision goes blurry. So, he never signs up for any club championships. These words are in line with his previous comments in an August interview. “A lot of people can’t play in club championships. The club championship is our major and they can’t handle the pressure,” the former President said then claiming he bested 21 scratch golfers.

Nevertheless, Trump’s previous claims of success haven’t always sat well with everyone. He has been accused of cheating by noted sportswriter Rick Reilly. Fans have called out his ‘horrible’ swing as well. His comparison of club championships with majors infuriated many fans.

But Trump did convince some of his doubters after he collaborated with the reigning US Open champion, Bryson DeChambeau. That clip crossed 12M views on YouTube, a rare feat for any golf content. Still, perhaps to bolster his claim amid a steady torrent of criticism, Donald Trump also shared more details about his victory. He also opened up on why Jack Nicklaus felt compelled to hand him the trophy himself. 

Trump on his victory and ‘great guy’ Jack Nicklaus

Donald Trump claimed that the Club Championship didn’t come against any Average Joe. Rather, his opponents were high-handicappers (in the +3 range), and far younger than he was. But harking back on his point that it’s not the age that makes the difference, Trump said the fairways don’t know how old you are. 

The former President claimed he defeated a field less than half of his age. And that’s what compelled Golden Bear to come down and present the trophy himself. Trump said in the ‘Let’s Go’ podcast, “When Jack [Nicklaus] heard I won the club championship, he asked ‘How old are you?’ I refused to say over the phone. But you know… [I said] 78; 45 years age difference… When Jack heard, he said ‘Gee, I’d love to come over and hand you the trophy.’”

Notably, there hasn’t been any public statement from Jack Nicklaus on the matter. The 18-time major champion endorsed Donald Trump during the last election. His last comments on future endorsements (2024) came at the 2023 Masters. But the Hall of Famer left it on an ambiguous note.