USGA says Trump’s GHIN account was hacked

UPDATE: President Trump’s GHIN account was hacked, the USGA confirmed to Golfweek after four more scores – 101, 100, 108, 102 – were posted to Trump’s account. His most recent score - the 68 - has also disappeared.

“We have become aware of reports in the media questioning recent scores posted on President Trump’s GHIN account. As we dug into the data it appears someone has erroneously posted a number of scores on behalf of the GHIN user,” said a statement to Golfweek from Craig Annis, the managing director of communications for the USGA. “We are taking corrective action to remove the scores and partnering with our allied golf associations, and their member clubs, to determine the origin of the issue.”

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Original story: May 17, 2019

Most guys in their 70s would be ecstatic to shoot their age. Donald Trump is not most men.

Perhaps he got a hot tip from Tiger Woods during his recent trip to the White House ... or maybe he took a few gimmes while the ball was still rolling ... whatever the case, the President of the United States claims to have carded the round of his life last month - a 68(!) - as first pointed out by sportswriter Leif Skodnick.

View this post on Instagram BREAKING: President Trump has posted an 18-hole golf score to @USGA Golf Handicap Information Network for first time this season - a 68(!) on a course with a 75.3 rating/139 slope. This might be the best round of golf by a head of state since Kim Jong Il’s 38-under par performance (with five aces!) at Pyongyang Golf Course. When you consider that the President’s last posted score, a 96 in October of last year, had a differential of 25.0 over the course rating, this 68 - a -5.9 differential against the rating - is even more incredible. It’s important to note that the 96 back in October came on a course with a rating of 68.8 - in other words, someplace not particularly tough. #golf #USGA #handicapping A post shared by Leif Skodnick (@leifskodnick) on May 17, 2019 at 8:44am PDT

Even more impressive still, the under-par round is the first score Trump has posted to the GHIN handicap tracking system since his last outing - a 96 in October 2018. For those keeping score at home that’s a 28-stroke difference.

While the official USGA handicapping system doesn’t give exact dates or courses, a quick look at Trump’s page reveals it’s the only sub-70 round the 1.8-handicapper has ever posted.

The beauty of sports is the ever-present chance - no matter how slim - of a comeback.

So forget the 2017 New England Patriots winning the Super Bowl after being down 28-3 ... the 2004 Boston Red Sox winning the ALCS from down 3-0 in the series ... the “Miracle on Ice” U.S. hockey team beating the Russians after losing to them 10-3 a couple weeks earlier ... [insert whatever epic sports comeback you want here] - Trump going 96-68 proves once and for all why everyone tunes in to a big-time sporting event.

Anything is possible.