Oscar de la Hoya Details How He Saw Donald Trump Cheat at Golf
By Ryan Ballengee
Boxing champion Oscar De La Hoya is an avid golfer, and he's one to play by the book -- something that will no doubt bring a smile to the faces at USGA headquarters.
Imagine, then, De La Hoya's shock when he played a few holes of golf in 2014 with presumptive Republican presidential nominee and golf real estate mogul Donald Trump at his Trump National Los Angeles course.
“I was teeing on the first hole and next thing I know here comes a golf cart. It’s Donald Trump: ‘Oscar, can I play with you?’," De La Hoya explained, saying he told Trump that it was his property, so of course.
The Golden Boy said Trump hit four balls off the first tee: The first found a water hazard, then pulled another left out of bounds, a third into the water and then a fourth into the bushes. According to De La Hoya, Trump said he was just warming up, although that's a generous two balls more than the typical two-off-the-first okie-dokie on the first tee.
After four balls, Trump still hadn't found a safe lie. However, since Trump went first, he hopped in his cart, went down to the middle of the fairway and said he'd found his ball right down Broadway.
Quoting Trump, De La Hoya recalled he said, “By the way, I found my first ball, it’s right here.”
“We’re like, ‘OK, yeah,’ we’re cracking up, not in front of his face,” De La Hoya continued.
On another hole, Trump's tee shot at a 170-yard par 3 went out of bounds. The boxer was sure of it. Again, Trump drove off in the cart first, went toward the green and said he found his ball.
“We get up there [to the green] and he’s like, ‘Oh, my ball’s right here!’ Three feet away. ‘And by the way, I’m going to pick it up, it’s a gimme,’” he said.
Obviously offended, De La Hoya isn't interested in voting for Trump.
He said, “I’m not [voting] for someone who cheats in golf.”