FARMINGDALE, N.Y. (AP) —On Friday, President Trump and his granddaughter were front and center at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black — welcomed to the first day of competition.
U.S. captain Keegan Bradley said he’s “deeply honored” that Trump will be there to cheer on his squad. European captain Luke Donald said the president’s attendance “just shows how big the Ryder Cup is,” calling it a “mark of respect,” even if he’s rooting for the other side.
The president took up position between the 1st tee and the 18th hole, near the bottom of the grandstand.
Four fighter jets flew over as a firefighter sang the National Anthem.
“Donald Trump!” some people chanted.
For Trump, an avid golfer, his Ryder Cup trip will be the culmination of a remarkable turnaround in his relationship with the sport — and in the sport’s relationship with him.
Next year, the Blue Monster course at his Doral resort near Miami will return to the PGA Tour schedule for the first time in a decade. Trump’s 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’s PGA Tour-LIV Golf schism.
Three Trump-owned courses have hosted LIV events.
“I’m deeply honored that the president of the United States is going to come support our team at the Ryder Cup,” Bradley said. “I think anytime you can be around a current president is a pretty phenomenal thing, but when you’re 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’m really grateful to him for doing that for us.”
The feeling seems mutual. In a Truth Social post last month announcing his tournament visit, Trump praised Bradley as “an AMAZING guy” and said “It will be a great Ryder Cup.”
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’s “Can I Break 50?” YouTube series, racking up more than 16 million views. Scheffler, who also has played golf with Trump, said he’ll sometimes get a congratulatory call or text from him after a win.
“He just loves the game of golf, and he’s one of those guys when you’re around him, he does such a good job of, like, feeding confidence into everybody around him,” Scheffler said.