Ryder Cup organisers have asked that Donald Trump does not arrive for the opening tee shots at Bethpage this month amid fears of security chaos similar to the scenes that caused a delay to the start of the US Open tennis men’s singles final.
Whether the message is heeded at the White House remains to be seen. While Ryder Cup officials have no issue with the US president arriving at the New York golf course as planned on the first day, they believe logistically it would be far easier if Trump attends for lunch and the Friday afternoon session.
The final at Flushing Meadows on Sunday between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner was held up because of extra security measures put in place for Trump’s visit to the Arthur Ashe Stadium. The use of airport-style scanners led to huge queues outside the arena.
The Ryder Cup will have a bigger attendance – about 50,000 per day – and has no scope to change starting times. Most of the gallery typically wants to be in place first thing in the morning for the initial tee shots.
Sources have told the Guardian that the Ryder Cup organisers are trying to be proactive so that Friday morning play and crowds are unaffected. Spectators have paid $750 for tickets as the US team attempt to reclaim the Ryder Cup from Europe.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the PGA of America said: “While President Trump has indicated interest in attending the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage, specific details have not been confirmed. As we get closer to Ryder Cup week, we will communicate any relevant updates that may impact the Ryder Cup experience. Our priority remains delivering a seamless, secure and first-class event for all our guests.”
Luke Donald, the European captain, has admitted his team will need to be ready for the fuss created by Trump’s appearance. Donald said: “There was some delays at the tennis. I think you’re probably all aware of that but hopefully they have learnt from that.
“It’s a big process, obviously, to get a president to come to an event. There’s a lot of security and everything. It takes some work, I’m sure. The PGA of America’s job is to make sure it’s seamless. He wants to be there to probably greet the players and I think the crowd is probably going to be loud no matter what.
“We know that the president is going to be there, it’s not like he’s just going to turn up and we didn’t expect it, so it’s fine.”
Trump’s ongoing association with golf was emphasised again on Wednesday with confirmation that his Doonbeg resort will stage the Irish Open in 2026.
