FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — President Donald Trump isn’t expected to arrive at Bethpage Black for the opening day of the Ryder Cup until later Friday, a decision organizers hope will eliminate long security delays that plagued the US Open men’s tennis final in New York earlier this month.
Trump watched Carlos Alcaraz defeat Jannik Sinner in four sets from Rolex’s suite inside Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sept. 7. With extra security in place, the starting time of the match was delayed 37 minutes. Thousands of fans were still in security lines to get into the arena when the match started.
The PGA of America is hoping to get final clarification about Trump’s plans from the White House in the next 24 hours, a spokesman told ESPN.
PGA of America CEO Derek Sprague previously confirmed that the governing body invited Trump to the Ryder Cup “a number of weeks ago.”
The first match of the opening foursomes (alternate shot) session on Friday is scheduled for 7:10 a.m. ET. A fourball (best ball) session of four matches is scheduled to start at 12:25 p.m. ET.
World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler told reporters on Tuesday that, as far as he knew, Trump wasn’t scheduled to speak to the U.S. team before the start of the Ryder Cup.
“The president is kind of funny,” Scheffler said. “He loves the game of golf. He loves supporting golfers, and I get a call or a text from him sometimes after wins. 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.
“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.”
Trump’s organization owns several golf courses around the world, so it’s not surprising that he’ll attend the first Ryder Cup to take place in the New York area.
“I’m deeply honored that the president of the United States is going to come support our team at the Ryder Cup,” U.S. team captain Keegan Bradley 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.”
Bradley indicated that Trump might be standing at the first tee once he arrives at the Black Course.
“I really look forward to what that first tee is going to be like with the president on the tee,” Bradley said. “I think this first tee at Bethpage is going to be a sporting event to remember across any sport, and then you add on the president of the United States standing there, I really think it’s going to be something that everyone will remember forever.”
