Shinzo Abe brags about ‘national secret’ golf score to Miss Universe Japan

TOKYO - Japan's golf-mad prime minister has finally revealed the "national secret" of his best score—in a good-natured brag to his country's Miss Universe representative.

A relaxed and beaming Shinzo Abe received a courtesy call at his office from Momoko Abe, 23, who told the prime minister that her best round was an impressive 68 and that she had tried to turn pro.

"That's amazing," said the prime minister, asking her whether this was for a full 18 holes or a half-round.

"Well, my best score is 79, a long time ago, though," the premier told her in front of the TV cameras.

Abe likes to play golf with Donald Trump, most recently during the US president's trip to Asia in November, where the pair warmed up for their high-stakes diplomacy with a quick nine holes.

The prime minister had previously dubbed his playing scores a "national secret" and refused to say who had emerged victorious in the golfing battle of the world leaders.

The round just outside Tokyo, with one of the world's top professionals, Hideki Matsuyama, also made headlines when footage emerged of Abe tumbling backwards into a bunker, with Trump marching down the fairway seemingly oblivious. —Agence France-Presse