Donald Trump accused of cheating at golf by star Suzann Pettersen according to Norwegian newspaper

US PRESIDENT Donald Trump has been accused of an unsportsmanlike approach to his favourite pastime by a playing partner and one of the stars of the women’s game.

DONALD Trump has been accused of cheating at golf by his playing partner and women’s star Suzann Pettersen, according to a Norwegian newspaper.

In an interview with Verdens Gang, Pettersen, who has known the US President for over a decade, says she likes Trump even if she does not like his policies.

However it appears she is not so fond of the way he approaches his golf game.

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President Donald Trump has been criticised for spending too much time on the golf course. Picture: AP

“He cheats like hell ... so I don’t quite know how he is in business,” Pettersen is quoted as saying by the article.

“They say that if you cheat at golf, you cheat at business. I’m pretty sure he pays his caddie well, since no matter how far into the woods he hits the ball, it’s in the middle of the fairway when we get there.”

According to VG, Pettersen also cast doubt over the three handicap President Trump boasts.

“He always says he is the world’s best putter. But in all the times I’ve played him, he’s never come close to breaking 80,” she said.

“But what’s strange is that every time I talk to him he says he just golfed a 69, or that he set a new course record or won a club championship some place. I just laugh.

“I’m someone who likes being teased and I like teasing others, and Trump takes it well, and that must be why he likes me.”

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LPGA star Suzann Pettersen. Picture: Michael Klein.

However the 15-time LPGA tour winner and former world No.2 who has career earnings of more than A$17 million blasted the article on Twitter as ‘fake news’.

“Sometimes you do interviews and media will twist whatever word/saying to make a headline! It’s shocking to see ... this is what I would call #fakenews. Why would I call someone a cheat. ... never!” she wrote in a since deleted tweet.

The 36-year-old Petttersen then claimed the comments were “taken out of context”.

“Over the last few days, the media has quoted me that I said President Trump “cheats in golf.” Not true at all and this has been taken WAY out of context from a long interview I did last week with a Norwegian media outlet,” Petterson wrote on Facebook.

Trump is said to play off a handicap of three. Picture: AFP

“With a big smile on my face what I said was that he most likely paid his caddy well because every time he found his ball it was in the fairway.

“The way this has been requoted by many other media outlets is NOT correct and not a fair account of the original interview. I surely hope journalists that requote things like this in the future will read the full story and not just read headlines.

“Things always seem to come out the wrong way and what’s sad is that this was a very positive interview.

“To me it seems like the media enjoys twisting things for their readers and viewers. Another lesson learned. I’m sorry for Mr. Trump who I have known many years, who loves the game, and who I consider a friend!”

Former USA president Bill Clinton playing golf at The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney. Picture: News Corp

Verdens Gang says it is standing by the story.

“We of course stand by all the quotes in the story,” Robert Simso, one of the article’s writers, told GOLF.com.

“I always use a tape recorder in interviews, and this time was no exception.”

Trump is not the first US President to be linked to cheating on the golf course.

Bill Clinton was accused of regularly taking “mulligans” or second-chance shots.

Clinton boasts a 10 handicap but says he is “not a very good golfer”.