9 big takeaways from Bryson DeChambeau’s round with Donald Trump

There could never be a dull moment in a round featuring Bryson DeChambeau and Donald Trump.

Two of the most divisive figures in their respective circles combined for a game of ‘Break 50’ on DeChambeau’s YouTube channel.

Trump National Golf Club Bedminster hosted the match, which DeChambeau confirmed was before the assassination attempt on the former President.

The 30-year-old was still riding the high of his second US Open triumph, resulting in a round of 50 from the red tees with Trump.

Unfortunately, that meant mission failed. Here’s what we learned…

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Taking over

For all of DeChambeau’s talk of ‘growing the game’ and bringing in new audiences, it’s hard to argue his YouTube platform isn’t thriving. “We want to hit 1 million subscribers before the end of July,” he said at the outset. Within around 12 hours, he’d added more than 200,000 subscribers and passed his goal. With 1.1. million – at the time of writing – he is now the seventh biggest golf YouTube channel.

On top of the world

Just one minute and 21 seconds into the video, Trump declares DeChambeau the ‘best player in the world right now’. “He’s a winner, he knows how to do it,” Trump said. “Longest hitter bay far, by far. I know them all.” Data golf and the Official World Golf Rankings have him at number nine.

Top Trumps

There was enough time to talk up Trump’s portfolio, of course. “Aberdeen is so incredible,” he said. But “Turnberry is rated number one in the world,” he proclaims. And again: “It was rated number one in the world, as you know, which is hard when I own something to be number one in the world, because some people don’t like it.” The Ayrshire venue must be his favourite.

2 handicap – true or false?

It’s tough to say off of this cameo, but (whisper it) Trump can play. The 78-year-old has a questionable putting stroke, to say the least, but gets the job done. It’s a jab and it was picked up quickly on social media. One user wrote: “That putting stroke made Will Zalatoris nervous.” Trump was striping it off the tee, however, and despite playing best ball with a multiple major champ, made a solo birdie on nine and a solo eagle on 12. Lost a point for blaming the ‘wet’ fairways on two shots he chunked.

Places your putter shouldn't be after impact. Exhibit A: pic.twitter.com/2yoCFZ06hZ

— John Turnbull (@JohnTurnbull03) July 24, 2024

Take cover, Biden

You didn’t expect Trump to leave Joe Biden out of this, did you? After sticking his tee shot close on the par-3 second, Trump says: “You think Biden can do that? I don’t know.” We’ll see if Biden – formerly Trump’s presidential rival – will hit back after the pair got embroiled in a messy golf debate.

The ‘British’ Open

Alas, Trump knows his golf. “Now in the Open Championship, formerly known as the British Open – which a lot of people don’t understand – putting is routine from there,” he said, when discussing using a putter from off the green. Calling it The Open, might give him a better chance of getting Turnberry back on the rota.

How many aces?

Only eight. You read that right, Trump says he has made a hole-in-one eight times. His favourite? The last one, with Ernie Els. From 188 yards in Palm Beach, he hit a ‘perfect’ 5-iron.

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Who is Trump’s favourite tour pro?

“You know whose game I like? Patrick Reed,” he admitted. “He just looks like a golfing machine and to me, it’s just solid and he’s tough. He’s a great chipper, one of the best.”

Pressure putt

As DeChambeau recalls the winning putt from last month’s US Open, Trump says it would have been “tragic” if he missed. “You would have been branded, their cruel,” he added. “Some guy that is 150lbs overweight would’ve said ‘he’s a choker, he can’t play’.

Ahead of the challenge, DeChambeau explained that $10,000 would be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project for every birdie and $20,000 for every eagle. Over $20,000 has been donated by fans.