Donald Trump is scheduled to arrive at the Ryder Cup late Friday morning, bringing enormous relief to event organizers.
The 45th and 47th U.S. President, an avid golf enthusiast, has confirmed his attendance for the opening day of the Ryder Cup but will skip the first tee time. According to the Mail, this strategic timing will help prevent the mayhem that would likely ensue if thousands of spectators arrived simultaneously at Bethpage.
This decision follows the pandemonium Trump’s presence created at the US Open. Enhanced security measures significantly slowed entry procedures, leaving thousands of fans waiting in lengthy lines to enter Arthur Ashe Stadium well past the scheduled start time.
Consequently, the championship match between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz was postponed by over thirty minutes.
Trump, who watched from the Rolex suite, received a mixed reception of applause and jeers from the crowd inside the venue. At one moment, he appeared to have dozed off.
Regarding the Ryder Cup, security arrangements for Trump remain unclear. Bethpage spans 1,500 acres featuring five golf courses, and the expansive open terrain will likely present significant challenges for the Secret Service.
Event organizers cannot postpone tee times at the Ryder Cup due to daylight constraints. The sun now sets before 7 p.m. in New York.
Ryder Cup director Bryan Karns had previously emphasized this limitation.
“We actually won’t be able to delay the tee times because we don’t have the evening,” he said. “At Arthur Ashe Stadium, you can flip the lights on and go late. We don’t have that luxury. We need to finish both sessions in daylight so fans get the full experience.”
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Speaking about Trump’s visit, he further stated, “It’s really just a collaboration with the Secret Service to figure out the safest way to get the president on site, and to allow him to be able to participate and enjoy and be a part of what we’re doing, but at the same time, not disrupt the general flow.
“We want to ensure that nothing happens that would impede the hallmark at the Ryder Cup — the first tee or some of these grandstands that we expect and would plan to be full.”
In an unexpected twist, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed on Monday that the Ryder Cup wouldn’t be happening at all without Trump.
“This event is one of the greatest sporting events in the world and it would not be taking place this year without President Trump’s help,” she declared.
“President Trump signed an executive order last week preventing a strike that would have crippled the New York City area ahead of the tournament and at the request of the five labor unions who all represent workers on the Long Island railroad.”
