Prepare for a lot of noise, even more than you’d normally get at a Ryder Cup.
The US president could have given the 47th Ryder Cup matches a miss – what with everything else that’s going on in the world – but he’s decided to swing by and offer his support for Keegan Bradley and his troops.
Spare a though for the organizers. Trump’s decision to come and watch the action later in the day on Friday has given those on the ground a bit of a headache – and made things awkward for spectators.
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Those attending the Ryder Cup on Friday have been warned to expect enhanced security measures and additional restrictions.
“Ticketed attendees are strongly urged to arrive as early as possible and should budget extra time as they plan their day,” said a Ryder Cup statement.
“In addition to security screening at the entrance, spectators will be subjected to TSA-style screening points around the Clubhouse, adjacent grandstand and surrounding areas.”
With a pretty major reshuffling of the schedule also required because of the threat of inclement weather, some organizers will probably be glad to see the back of this week.
Not the players, of course. Plenty of Trump questions came their way on Wednesday, and it seems the President’s visit will be welcomed, even if’s bound to create a lot of extra noise.
Asked whether there was an official policy in place for how to handle Trump – would they say hello, would the ignore him? – England’s Justin Rose had this to say.
“Obviously he’s going to bring certainly a lot of attention and patriotism to the event.
I don’t think he’s going to necessarily be on the tee box with us or roaming the course.
“So from that point of view, I think there will just be a lot of noise around it, but I’m not sure there will be the continued distraction of it.
“Listen, it’s great for golf that he’s engaged in the game and obviously he brings a lot of eyeballs with him.
“Yeah, fan-wise, I’m sure Friday afternoon will be certainly very intense and entertaining.”
Donald Trump joins the Chelsea players on stage after the Premier League side’s victory in the 2025 Club World Cup in New Jersey
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Chelsea fan Rose was then asked if the team would welcome him on the stage if Europe retained the trophy, just as he had joined the Premier League side for their celebrations after they won the Club World Cup in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in July.
“100 percent, yeah, would love the opportunity to have that opportunity,” added Rose.
“Listen, I’m not sure he’s going to want to be on the stage congratulating the team that sort of wins in his backyard.
“But listen, of course, he’s the President, ultimate respect, and that would be a great opportunity.”
If captain Luke Donald has advised the players on how to handle Trump, he’ll most likely have told them to simply be nice – no good can come of stirring things up with the POTUS, especially on US soil.
Meanwhile, World No.1 Scottie Scheffler seemed to speak for the whole team when asked for his thoughts on the President’s upcoming visit.
“I think our team as a whole, we’re very proud to be Americans. I think the flag means a lot to us,” said Scheffler.
“Being here in New York I think is very special as well.
“It’s been a tough few weeks for our country with some of the stuff that’s been going on, and to have our President here and for us to represent the United States of America, albeit being in a golf tournament, is extremely important for us.”
Scottie Scheffler is looking forward to Donald Trump’s arrival at Bethpage
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Although it’s not clear whether Trump is planning to address the players at all on Friday, Scheffler did reveal that they often share text messages.
“The President is kind of funny. He loves the game of golf, he loves supporting golfers, and I get a call or a text from him sometimes after wins,” said the four-time Major winner.
“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.
“That was one of the things I noticed a lot with the little bit of time I spent with him, is he treats everybody the same and treats people with the utmost respect.
“Whether you’re the person serving us lunch or the caddie on the golf course or the guy who’s the president of the club that we’re at, he treats everybody like they’re the greatest person in the world.
“I don’t think he has any plans to address us as a team, but I’m sure if things go well, we’ll hear from him this week.”
