Scottie Scheffler’s closest friend and fellow PGA Tour star, Sam Burns, had an unexpectedly candid experience while playing golf with former President Donald Trump.

Burns, a six-time Tour winner, was taken aback by Trump’s openness during their round, which took place before Trump’s potential return to the Oval Office.

After their game, Burns and his group joined Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk for a meal at Mar-a-Lago.

The 28-year-old golfer later admitted that the conversation was remarkably revealing, with no subject considered off-limits. The experience offered a unique glimpse into Trump’s unfiltered perspective on a wide range of topics.

Speaking to GOLF’s Subpar show, Burns said: “I get asked that a lot. People ask, ‘What’s he like? He’s exactly how you’d think he would be. He’s exactly what you see on TV, brutally honest. He’s very open, you can pretty much ask him anything.

“And he loves golf. He has some really funny stories, so it’s pretty cool to listen to. I asked him some stuff. I wasn’t sure if he would answer or not, but he did.”

When probed about the most revealing conversation topics, Burns said: “Probably it would be under the Department of Defence.”

Referring to the intense security detail accompanying the President on the course, Burns added: “On any hole, there’s close to 20 carts. If you’re paying attention and looking, you’ll see snipers, secret service everywhere.

“It’s funny, [because] I don’t know if this is the safest place or the most dangerous place in the world to be. I think it’s kind of both at the same time.”

Sam Burns and Scottie Scheffler’s friendship goes way back to their early days climbing the ranks together before becoming established names on the PGA Tour. Despite their strong bond, the two remain fiercely competitive, always eager to outdo each other on the course.

Following his playoff victory over Scheffler at the 2022 Charles Schwab Challenge, Burns said: “Yeah, we’re probably best friends. But at the same time, I can assure you, he wanted to beat me more than anybody else and I wanted to beat him more than anybody else, and it just happened to be the two of us at the end.”

Both Sam Burns and Scottie Scheffler will be competing when the Players Championship—often referred to as the unofficial “fifth major”—kicks off at Sawgrass this Thursday.

The prestigious tournament promises to showcase their talent and competitive spirit on one of golf’s biggest stages.

Gaby López is turning heads on the LPGA Tour

Last season, three-time LPGA Tour champion Gaby López narrowly missed qualifying for the season-ending Tour Championship, finishing 61st in the Race to the CME Globe—just one spot shy of making the cut. However, the 31-year-old has put that disappointment behind her and has started the 2025 season with remarkable consistency, showcasing her determination to secure a spot in this year’s finale.

López has been in strong form early this season, making the cut in all four of her starts and securing back-to-back top-10 finishes in her most recent tournaments. Her performance at the HSBC Women’s World Championship, where she tied for fourth, propelled her from 77th to 59th in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.

This past weekend at the Blue Bay LPGA in China, López continued her steady play, averaging four birdies per round and finishing tied for eighth. The event holds special significance for her, as it was the site of her first LPGA Tour victory seven years ago. With her consistent performances, López is proving she’s a force to be reckoned with this season.

“I feel that overall, it’s been clicking,” she said of her play following the second round. “I’ve been working really hard on my short game, putting, driving the golf ball, so I think everything has been very solid. Couple of mistakes here and there, but in really tough conditions, you got to accept you’re”I’ve” going to make mistakes.”

Gaby López currently ranks 16th in the Race to the CME Globe standings

Gaby López has kicked off her 2025 season with impressive consistency, starting strong in all four of her tournaments.

Her first-round scoring average has improved to 69.75, up from 70.83 last year, highlighting her ability to come out of the gates with focus and precision.

Additionally, she has made significant strides in her greens in regulation from the fairway, jumping from 71.76% in 2024 to an impressive 80.14% this season. If she continues to refine her game and build on these improvements, she could become a formidable threat to the rest of the LPGA Tour.

Her recent back-to-back top-10 finishes demonstrate her potential and have positioned her well early in the season. Currently, López sits 16th in the Race to the CME Globe standings and 13th on the money list, signaling a strong start to her campaign. With her steady play and determination, López is clearly aiming for even greater achievements as the season progresses.

“Just keeping my game plan,” said López at the Blue Bay. “Just being able to maintain my bubble. Having that concentration and that game plan with my caddie has been really fun. Happy to see all the hard work paid off.”

Gaby López’s last LPGA Tour victory came in September 2022 at the Dana Open, but her recent performances suggest she’s on the verge of breaking through again.

With her improved driving accuracy and putting prowess, López is building momentum that could very well lead to another trophy by the end of the season.

If she maintains this level of play, it’s only a matter of time before she finds herself back in the winner’s circle.

Golf fans were left frustrated during the dramatic closing stages of the Arnold Palmer Invitational when much of Russell Henley’s tournament-winning chip-in on Bay Hill’s par-5 16th hole was missed due to a commercial break.

Henley entered the hole just one shot behind playing partner Collin Morikawa but produced a stunning two-shot swing by chipping in from the right side of the green to take the lead.

Morikawa, who had been three strokes ahead at the 13th tee, could only manage a par on the 16th, allowing Henley to overtake him.

However, U.S. golf fans expressed their frustration on social media after returning to NBC Sports’ broadcast while Henley’s ball was already rolling into the cup.

A Rolex commercial aired just as Henley was setting up for his eagle chip, causing viewers to miss much of the decisive moment in the tournament.

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy was among the high-profile critics, slamming the broadcast for failing to show the lead-up to Henley’s shot and the exact moment of contact.

He posted a clip of what viewers witnessed and questioned: “Why is golf just the worst at TV? Are you kidding me? What’s the point of watching golf if you miss the most important shot of the whole tournament?”

This frustration comes despite the PGA Tour’s announcement earlier in the week that fans watching the Arnold Palmer Invitational would experience “fewer commercials” during the tournament.

“Viewers will notice fewer commercials within the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard broadcast, with time repurposed for live golf segments focused on the player-caddie interaction,” the PGA Tour announced.

One of the commercials appeared to air at the worst possible moment.

Henley’s chip-in was followed by two consecutive pars as he secured the biggest victory of his career, claiming the $4 million first-place prize and moving up to 7th in the world rankings.

“I’ve grown up watching this event and just seeing all the amazing finishes coming down the stretch, and you never really think you’re going to get that opportunity to come down the 18th and make a par to win,” he said.

“It’s really just hard to take in right now. It’s a tremendous honor, and that’s what’s so cool about this game, is to go play where all the legends have played.”

Henley described his chip-in on 16 as “surreal.”

“That’s just kind of golf. I mean, sometimes you get a good break like that and it hits the pin and goes in,” he said.

“I asked Andy [his caddie, Andrew Sanders] after, and he said he didn’t think it would be but 5 or 6 feet by, but I guess I need to watch it on the replay to see how fast it was moving, but kind of surreal.”

Palestine Action staged a protest at one of Donald Trump’s golf courses in Scotland, targeting his stance on Gaza.

Activists entered Trump Turnberry and painted “Gaza is not for sale” in three-meter-high letters on the course. The group says the demonstration was a response to Trump’s comments and threats regarding the Palestinian Gaza Strip.

Trump has made his position on Gaza clear, and Palestine Action accuses him of seeking to “destroy, ethnically cleanse, and take over” the territory.

As part of the protest, activists spray-painted the clubhouse and dug up sections of the course’s greens. The action follows Trump’s release of an AI-generated video outlining plans for the area, which included a proposed “Trump Gaza” resort.

A spokesperson from Palestine Action has stated: “Palestine Action rejects Donald Trump’s treatment of Gaza as though it were his property to dispose of as he likes.

“To make that clear, we have shown him that his own property is not safe from acts of resistance. We will continue to take action against US-Israeli colonialism in the Palestinian homeland.”

Posting on social media earlier this week, Trump said: “Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is over for you.

“Only sick and twisted people keep bodies, and you are sick and twisted!”

Wilco Nienaber aims to join golf’s elite on the PGA Tour

For the average golfer, there’s nothing more satisfying than striking a driver perfectly and watching the ball soar into the distance. Watching professionals do the same—especially the longest hitters—is always a thrilling sight.

When Wilco Nienaber is in the field, he often draws some of the biggest crowds, and for good reason. He is one of the longest hitters on the DP World Tour (DPWT).

This season, his average drive measures an impressive 335.65 yards, ranking second in the DPWT driving stats.

To put that into perspective, the 24-year-old’s tee shots travel 24.6 yards farther than the tour average.

For casual golf fans, it’s hard to grasp just how far Nienaber can launch a ball. Even he admits that explaining his extraordinary distance off the tee isn’t easy.

“I don’t know. I’m probably built a little differently to most,” Nienaber told SportsBoom.com.

“I just played a lot of sports. I like all sports. In South Africa, we grow up having to play in most schools, in winter and in summer sports. So, it really develops the body, I feel. It’s not something that I’ve done something specific on. It just happened.”

Working hard on consistency every week

The 1.87m-tall Wilco Nienaber has experienced some inconsistent form in recent weeks, missing back-to-back cuts, including at the SA Open in early March.

However, in mid-February, he claimed victory at the NTT DATA Pro Am at Fancourt Golf Estate in George.

The win was his first in four years since his breakthrough triumph in the same event. He dominated the tournament from start to finish, securing a commanding seven-stroke victory in the HotelPlanner Tour event.

When asked about areas he needs to improve in his game, Nienaber responded with honesty.

“Just consistency. Getting the driver in play. I’m hitting it straight as well, so I get that in hand most of the time. Holing putts. Those two together is a great combo.”

“The game is good. Hitting the driver really nicely. I had a good week in Fancourt two, three weeks ago, putter rolled nicely. So, if I can get that to work again, it should be a good week.”

Setting his sights high

At just 24 years old, Wilco Nienaber is already in his sixth year as a professional golfer. Despite his impressive power off the tee, he has only secured two victories in the paid ranks. However, that hasn’t diminished his ambition—his ultimate goal remains earning a spot on the US PGA Tour.

“The goal is to win again. I want to get as close as possible to those PGA Tour cards. I want to play all the way through to the Race to Dubai final and just improve.”

“That’s where you want to play. That’s where most of the best players play. If you can do well there, you know you can compete against the best.”