FARMINGDALE, N.Y. (AP) 鈥 Four years ago, President Donald Trump was persona non grata in the professional golf world, ostracized from the sport he loves in the wake of the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. The PGA of America pulled his chance to host its major championship and officials in his hometown, New York City, tried ousting his company from the golf course it had hired him to run.
On Friday, Trump will be front and center at the at Bethpage Black 鈥 welcomed to the first day of competition by the very powers that once shunned him. The Ryder Cup is run by the PGA of America, the organization that yanked its 2022 PGA Championship from his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf course.
U.S. captain Keegan Bradley said he’s 鈥渄eeply honored鈥 that Trump will be there to cheer on his squad. European captain Luke Donald said the president鈥檚 attendance 鈥渏ust shows how big the Ryder Cup is,鈥 calling it a 鈥渕ark of respect,鈥 even if he’s rooting for the other side.
Trump, a Republican, will be the first sitting U.S. president to attend the biennial U.S.-Europe clash in its nearly 100-year history.
During his first term, at Liberty National in New Jersey.
His visit, expected in the late morning or early afternoon when the tournament is well underway, will mean extra security screenings in the areas where Trump is expected to be 鈥 near the clubhouse and first tee 鈥 and restrictions on what fans can bring. No rangefinders, laptops or tablets.
European stalwart Justin Rose predicted even more of a ruckus around the usually rowdy first tee when Trump is around. It’ll be a 鈥渧ery intense and entertaining” afternoon, he said.
鈥淥bviously, he鈥檚 going to bring certainly a lot of attention and patriotism to the event,鈥 Rose said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great for golf that he鈥檚 engaged in the game and obviously he brings a lot of eyeballs with him.鈥
But, U.S. and European players and captains alike say Trump鈥檚 presence won鈥檛 distract them from their overriding mission: beating the other guys. Rose even joked that Trump is invited to come back on Sunday and congratulate Team Europe, should the visitors win.
For Trump, an avid golfer, his Ryder Cup trip will be the culmination of a remarkable turnaround in his relationship with the sport 鈥 and in the sport鈥檚 relationship with him.
Next year, for the first time in a decade. Trump鈥檚 courses in Scotland and Ireland have or are slated to host European tour events. And, since his return to office in January, he hosted Tiger Woods, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan and the head of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund in an unsuccessful attempt to fix golf鈥檚 PGA Tour-LIV Golf schism.
Three Trump-owned courses have hosted LIV events.
鈥淚鈥檓 deeply honored that the president of the United States is going to come support our team at the Ryder Cup,鈥 Bradley said. 鈥淚 think anytime you can be around a current president is a pretty phenomenal thing, but when you鈥檙e representing your country at a place like Bethpage Black in New York, having the president there to support you is something that is just absolutely incredible. I鈥檓 really grateful to him for doing that for us.鈥
The feeling seems mutual. In a Truth Social post last month announcing his tournament visit, Trump praised Bradley as 鈥渁n AMAZING guy” and said 鈥淚t will be a great Ryder Cup.鈥
In addition, Trump is close with several U.S. players, including Sam Burns, Bryson DeChambeau and top-ranked Scottie Scheffler. Last year, Trump appeared on DeChambeau鈥檚 鈥淐an I Break 50?鈥 YouTube series, racking up more than 16 million views. Scheffler, who also has played golf with Trump, said he鈥檒l sometimes get a congratulatory call or text from him after a win.
鈥淗e just loves the game of golf, and he鈥檚 one of those guys when you鈥檙e around him, he does such a good job of, like, feeding confidence into everybody around him,” Scheffler said. He said he wasn’t aware of any plans for Trump to address the U.S. team, 鈥渂ut I鈥檓 sure if things go well, we鈥檒l hear from him.鈥
Trump has been on a run of attending major sporting events, showing up at the Club World Cup final in New Jersey in July, the U.S. Open men’s final in Queens in September and addressing the New York Yankees in their clubhouse before a game in the Bronx on Sept. 11. He’s also attended various UFC fights and is planning to stage one at the White House next year.
Now he’s headed to the heart of Long Island, where he won both counties in last year鈥檚 election. Already this week, several 鈥淢ake America Great Again鈥 hats have been spotted in the crowd during Ryder Cup practice rounds. But, just like the European team, politicians aren’t immune from jeers. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, was booed when she was introduced at Wednesday鈥檚 opening ceremony.
鈥淚 really look forward to what that first tee is going to be like with the president on the tee,鈥 Bradley said. 鈥淚 think this first tee at Bethpage is going to be a sporting event to remember across any sport, and then you add on the president of the United States standing there, I really think it鈥檚 going to be something that everyone will remember forever.鈥
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