Golf icon Gary Player raised a few eyebrows in The Oval Office on Tuesday when he told a group of young children that America is facing the threat of a ‘secret war’.
The South African, considered by many to be one of the greatest golfers of all time, was attending an event hosted by Donald Trump to mark the restoration of the Presidential Fitness Test.
Flanked by Player, Bryson DeChambeau, RFK Jr., MLB pitcher Noah Syndergaard and others, the president also welcomed a number of children into his office to celebrate the moment.
But Player, a nine-time major winner, created an awkward atmosphere with the youngsters with a bizarre speech during the ceremony.
‘I say to the young people, just love this country because you don’t realize what’s going on around the world,’ he told the children while putting his arm around a young boy.
‘There is a silent war taking place against America today, and what we’ve got to do is make these kids realize that freedom, exercise, and education start with reading some books.
Golf icon Gary Player told a group of young children that America is facing a ‘secret war’
Trump invited Player and others to mark the restoration of the Presidential Fitness Test
Trump spoke to Player and Bryson DeChambeau on the South Lawn as youngsters played golf
‘What you put in your body is so important. What a wonderful job [Trump] has done. And to all your Cabinet members, I say thank you for maintaining this great word—this cherished word: freedom.’
For years, the Presidential Fitness Test gauged young people’s health and athleticism with one-mile runs, sit-ups and stretching exercises. It began in 1966 but was phased out during the Obama administration.
Trump’s new Presidential Fitness Test Award offers students a performance-based fitness prize.
The test involves running or walking one mile, as many sit-ups as possible in 60 seconds, push-ups or pull-ups to failure, a shuttle run, and stretching.
Trump remarked on his own exercise: ‘I work out so much. Like, about one minute a day, max. If I’m lucky.’
DeChambeau, who is friends with the Trumps, said he had been pushing to reinstate the Presidential Fitness Test Award since 2013 after winning the award as a school kid.
The pro golfer, Trump noted, is in incredible shape and can put on muscle and lose weight ‘up and down like a yo-yo.’
‘He doesn’t need the fat shot,’ Trump joked about DeChambeau taking Ozempic or another GLP-1 weight-loss drug.
‘I said, “Did you ever take the shot?” He didn’t know what I was talking about. “What shot?” He can put it on. He is a scientist. A scientist with his body. A great guy and an absolute champion,’ the President said.
Player recently stunned viewers of The Masters with a ‘creepy’ comment to a female TV host
Player’s latest comments come just weeks after he stunned viewers of The Masters by making a ‘creepy’ comment to a female TV presenter.
Sky Sports’ Anna Jackson was working at Augusta National’s annual Par 3 event on the eve of golf’s most iconic tournament when she tried to grab a quick word with him.
Before Ms Jackson even had a chance to ask her first question, Player appeared to ask her colleagues behind the camera: ‘Why have you started working with this good looking chick, huh?’
Clearly flustered by the awkward interaction, Jackson quickly responded: ‘What an introduction that is.’
The moment quickly went viral and many golf fans took to social media to hit out at Player’s ‘inappropriate’ behaviour – but others leapt to his defence.
