A towering 22-foot gold statue of Donald Trump has been installed at the president’s Miami golf course ahead of the PGA tour’s return to Doral, Fla., marking a striking backdrop for the event’s reintroduction after a decade-long absence.
Trump statue
The sculpture depicts President Donald Trump’s post-assassination-attempt pose and weighs more than three tons By: MEGA
The sculpture, weighing more than three tons and dubbed “Don Colossus,” depicts Trump raising his fist in a pose mirroring his reaction after the failed July 2024 assassination attempt in Pennsylvania. Positioned prominently between the driving range and the first tee at the Blue Monster course, the statue is impossible for players to miss.
“It’s going to make me look smaller than I already am,” said professional golfer Rickie Fowler when asked if he would pose for a photograph with it.
Fellow golfer Maverick McNealy offered a simpler first impression, telling Golf Week, “It is very tall and very gold.”
The statue’s path to completion was not without controversy. Celebrated artist Alan Cottrill was commissioned in August 2024 but initially withheld the piece amid a dispute involving the cryptocurrency group $PATRIOT. Reports said the group paid $360,000 for the work, but Cottrill accused them of copyright infringement, alleging they used the statue’s likeness to promote tokens. Following an agreement, the sculpture was ultimately released and installed at the course.
Cadillac Championship
The PGA Tour returns to Doral after a 10-year absence. By: MEGA
The PGA Tour’s return to Doral for the inaugural Cadillac Championship represents a significant moment for Trump’s golf portfolio, which had been sidelined in recent years. The venue last hosted a PGA Tour event in 2016 before relations soured after Trump’s first election, prompting the tournament’s relocation to Mexico City. Trump responded bluntly at the time: “I hope the tour has kidnapping insurance,” he said.
PGA Tour
The event is missing top players, including Rory McIlroy. By: MEGA
While the tour’s return signals a renewed relationship, the event is missing several top players, including Masters champion Rory McIlroy. Despite his absence from Doral, McIlroy attended a White House state dinner earlier this week honoring King Charles III and Queen Camilla, during which Trump publicly praised him.
“The entire world has been uplifted by this distinct and special character we share,” Trump said. “This unstoppable daring. This unconquerable courage. It really is unconquerable. … Speaking of that, where’s Rory McIlroy? Stand up, Rory. That was unconquerable courage. That was very good, Rory. I had to interrupt my speech because I watched that man win a tournament that was tough. That was a tough one. Congratulations. Very proud of you. All right, now I’ll get back to my speech, Rory.”
Major golf events
Trump courses regained relevance through LIV Golf events. By: MEGA
The return to Doral also highlights a broader shift. After being effectively ostracized from major golf events — including losing hosting rights for the U.S. PGA at Bedminster and the Open Championship at Turnberry — Trump’s courses found renewed relevance through LIV Golf, which held multiple tournaments at Doral in recent years.