Trump calls and texts Scottie Scheffler after wins ahead of Ryder Cup
President to attend Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black; Scheffler says Trump reaches out after victories and has a notable rapport with golfers.
Bethpage Black, Farmingdale, N.Y. — President Donald Trump is scheduled to attend the Ryder Cup on Friday and has, on occasion, reached out to World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler after wins, Scheffler said at a Ryder Cup press conference Tuesday. "I get a call or text from him sometimes after wins," Scheffler said. "The President is kind of funny. He loves the game of golf."
Scheffler, who has won six PGA Tour events this year including the PGA Championship and the British Open, leads a Team USA roster that also includes Bryson DeChambeau, Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, Cameron Young, Sam Burns, Patrick Cantlay, Harris English, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Russell Henley and JJ Spaun. Trump’s love of golf is no secret and he’s forged relationships with many pros through the game, famously joining DeChambeau for a round of his popular Break 50 web series last year. His demeanor is something that’s attracted golf’s heaviest hitters to him.
Trump is scheduled to attend the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale on Friday, adding a political dimension to the biennial event and raising questions about the intersection of sports and politics as Team USA prepares to take on Europe. Scheffler noted that the president has previously offered encouragement to teams in other sports by phone, though he does not necessarily address the squads as a group.
"He’s one of those guys when you’re around him he does such a good job of feeding confidence into everybody around him. I don’t think he has any plans to address us as a team," Scheffler said, "but I’m sure if things go well, we’ll hear from him this week."
That sentiment tracks with a broader view Scheffler expressed about Trump’s approach to people, both on and off the course. "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," Scheffler added. "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."
The Ryder Cup, a biennial competition between Team USA and Team Europe, is due to begin Friday at Bethpage, with a U.S. roster that includes a mix of veterans and rising stars alongside Scheffler. The United States lineup features DeChambeau, Schauffele, Thomas, Young, Burns, Cantlay, English, Morikawa, Griffin, Henley and Spaun as they seek to extend the country’s lead in the series. Trump’s anticipated attendance, long associated with golf culture in the United States, has already sparked questions about how the event will unfold socially and politically, even as players emphasize the focus on competition.
As the week unfolds, Scheffler and his teammates will be watched not only for their performance on the course but also for how they interact with a president who has used golf as a bridge to a broad swath of sports figures. Trump’s role in golf circles — including publicized rounds and media appearances — has been a recurring theme in recent years, and his presence at the Ryder Cup underscores how sport can intersect with national conversations about leadership, celebrity, and diplomacy.
