Trump attends Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, signaling golf’s return to prominence in a divided era
First sitting U.S. president to attend the biennial event in its nearly century-long history, Trump’s presence comes as security tightens and the sport seeks to keep focus on competition.
Donald Trump arrived Friday at Bethpage Black for the Ryder Cup, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to attend the biennial U.S.-Europe team competition in its nearly 100-year history. The visit marks a dramatic turn in a yearslong relationship between the sport and the White House, a shift from ostracism to high-profile attendance as golf’s two power centers face one another under the glare of a national audience.
Four years ago, the golf world largely shunned the former president after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. The PGA of America pulled its 2022 PGA Championship from his Bedminster, New Jersey club, and local officials in his native New York City sought to remove his company from operating the course it had hired him to manage. As the Ryder Cup unfolds at Bethpage Black, the sport’s leadership is presenting a different face, welcoming the man who once drew sweeping criticism for his political influence on golf’s governance and branding.
U.S. captain Keegan Bradley said he was honored by the president’s presence. "I’m deeply honored that the president of the United States is going to come support our team at the Ryder Cup," Bradley said. "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 absolutely incredible. I’m really grateful to him for doing that for us." European captain Luke Donald framed the visit as a testament to the Ryder Cup’s pull, calling Trump’s attendance a "mark of respect" even as his team roots for Europe. "It shows how big the Ryder Cup is," Donald said, adding that Trump’s presence will amplify the event’s profile for spectators and viewers alike.
Trump’s arrival is expected to trigger additional security screenings in the areas where he is most likely to be observed — near the clubhouse and the first tee — and it will come with restrictions on what spectators can bring, including the prohibition of rangefinders, laptops and tablets. The security measures underscore the political and logistical weight of a sitting president stepping into the typically sports-centric arena of golf’s biggest biennial competition.
Justin Rose, a cornerstone of Europe’s squad, predicted a lively atmosphere around the first tee when Trump is on site. He described the appearance as "very intense and entertaining" and said the president’s presence will bring attention and patriotism to the event. "It’s great for golf that he’s engaged in the game and obviously he brings a lot of eyeballs with him," Rose said. Yet Rose added that the players’ focus remains on golf itself, not politics, and that he expects the American and European captains to keep the competition front and center.
For Trump, the Ryder Cup trip signals a broader reversal in his relationship with golf. Next year, the Blue Monster at his Doral resort near Miami is slated to return to the PGA Tour calendar for the first time in a decade. Trump’s courses abroad, including in Scotland and Ireland, have hosted or are positioned to host European tour events, reflecting a renewed engagement with the game after years of political controversy surrounding his involvement in golf governance. Since taking office again in January, he has hosted Tiger Woods, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan and the head of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund in an effort to ease tensions over the PGA Tour-LIV Golf split, though those outreach efforts have yet to yield a lasting resolution.
Bradley tied the moment to a broader sense of national pride. "I’m deeply honored that the president of the United States is going to come support our team at the Ryder Cup," he 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."
Trump has longstanding connections with several American players, including Sam Burns, Bryson DeChambeau and the tour’s top-ranked Scottie Scheffler. DeChambeau appeared with Trump on his YouTube series last year, drawing millions of views, and Scheffler has said he occasionally receives congratulatory calls or texts from the former president after a victory. "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. Asked whether Trump might address the U.S. team, Scheffler added that he was unaware of any plans, but wouldn’t rule out the possibility if circumstances warranted.
Trump’s public appearances at major sporting events have become a familiar pattern in recent months. Earlier this year he attended the Club World Cup final in New Jersey, the U.S. Open men’s final in Queens, and he addressed the New York Yankees in their clubhouse before a game in the Bronx on Sept. 11. He has also shown interest in UFC events and is planning to stage one at the White House next year. As Bethpage’s first-tee spectacle looms large and security remains tight, the Ryder Cup is poised to become a focal point not only for golf but for the broader conversation about the sport’s place in American life and politics.