President Donald Trump’s unexplained decision to cut short his weekend stay at Camp David has revealed that the retreat included golf legends Gary Player and Bryson DeChambeau.
DeChambeau and his girlfriend, 26-year-old hockey player Mikayla Demaiter, were photographed leaving Marine One at the White House’s Ellipse after the trip ended suddenly on Saturday night. A separate image showed DeChambeau sitting beside 90-year-old Player aboard the military helicopter as it landed near the White House.
Trump was also seen stepping off Marine One alone before making his way straight to a waiting vehicle.
The White House has not explained why Trump returned from Camp David a day ahead of schedule. Before his departure, the State Department urged Americans in the Middle East to “exercise heightened vigilance” and prepare for possible travel disruption as Iranian-backed Houthis continued attacks against Saudi Arabia.
“This military conflict has the potential to escalate rapidly,” the department warned. “Americans outside the Middle East should seriously reconsider travel to and through the region. Those who do travel to or from the region should monitor information about airport and airline operations.”
Saudi officials confirmed on Saturday that Yemeni rebels had attempted to strike the capital with a ballistic missile, after footage emerged showing smoke and flames rising over Riyadh airport.
(From left) Gary Player, Bryson DeChambeau, Mikayla Demaiter and Trump aboard Marine One
DeChambeau and his girlfriend, 26-year-old hockey player Mikayla Demaiter, leave Marine One at the White House after the Camp David trip ended abruptly
The Camp David visit was scheduled to run through the weekend, but DeChambeau and Demaiter returned on Saturday night after Trump unexpectedly ended the trip
Trump’s ties to both Player and DeChambeau are well established. Each golfer has previously visited the president at clubs he owns around the world.
Demaiter, a former hockey goaltender who has since built a career as a model and influencer, was first linked publicly with DeChambeau after sharing a post from a LIV Golf tournament at Trump National Bedminster last month.
DeChambeau’s future with LIV Golf remains uncertain as the Saudi-backed circuit loses its funding and prepares to move into a revamped era supported by new investment. He has widely been expected to remain with the league, with players set to receive equity in the new organization.
However, he fueled speculation about his plans with a brief message after LIV Golf’s final event of the year. Alongside photos celebrating his victories over the previous four years, the two-time U.S. Open champion wrote: “It was a good run.”
DeChambeau has also developed a significant online following, with 2.83 million YouTube subscribers and 4.6 million followers on Instagram.
Mikayla Demaiter posted images from a recent LIV Golf tournament held at one of Trump’s courses
Bryson DeChambeau is visible through the left-hand window as Trump gestures from his own window
Bryson DeChambeau, whose LIV contract expired at the end of the 2026 season, is owed £4.3 million
LIV Golf’s biggest names are still awaiting more than $40 million in unpaid funds after the breakaway league filed for bankruptcy earlier this month.
The league filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in New Jersey on September 8, becoming the latest development in a fight for survival that began after its Saudi backers announced in April that they would withdraw their support.
While the filing had been broadly anticipated, it represented a major turning point in LIV Golf’s dramatic decline. The move came four years after the circuit entered the sport and ignited a bitter civil war in professional golf.
The ‘Chapter 11’ petition also revealed the staggering sums owed to LIV’s golfers, who are listed among the league’s unsecured creditors.
Jon Rahm tops the list with a huge $7.5million (£5.5m) outstanding, followed by DeChambeau , who is owed $5.8m (£4.3m).
Dustin Johnson, Cameron Smith and Adrian Meronk are owed $5.5m (£4.1m), $4.8m (£3.5m) and $4.4m (£3.2m) respectively, while English golfer Tyrrell Hatton has $3.4m (£2.5m) in unsecured claims.
