Trump continues his tirade against the PGA Tour Thursday, praising LIV golf and the Saudis.
Trump said the Tour “really wasted a great opportunity.” He called LIV Golf “big money” and “unlimited cash” in his inaugural season. Trump properties hosted events this week at Trump National Doral. A third season will be held at Trump’s course in Washington, D.C.
Trump also suggested that LIV may still be poaching the PGA Tour.
He said, “And by the side, a lot more people are coming over.” “Big names.”
Trump spoke for several moments after the pro-am. Trump played nine holes on Jupiter’s Brooks Koepka’s course and nine with Sergio Garcia, who shared nine holes on the Blue Monster. His team, which included Eric Trump and Kai Trump, was 9-under, tied for the lowest score of the day,
Trump is now aligned with LIV, the controversial tour financed partly by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. This was partly due to his dislike for the PGA Tour. Trump’s anger over professional golf is evident in the PGA Tour’s move of its World Golf Championship event from Doral to Mexico in 2017 as well as the PGA of America moving 2022 PGA Championship from his Bedminster club following the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the US Capitol.
Trump stated that “they never wanted to travel to Mexico.” Trump stated that the pros did not want to travel to Mexico, so they went. They wanted to be there and the Tour also wants to be there. “The Tour needs to be here.”
The PGA Tour leadership has not indicated that they would like to return to Doral.
Trump stated that the tour had announced in 2016 that they were moving their event from Doral.
Trump, former President, greeting guests during the Pro-Am tournament at Trump National Doral. (Photo by John David Mercer – USA TODAY Sports
Donald Trump: PGA Tour ‘breaking in (players) pension fund’
Trump claimed that the Tour is causing problems for its players by “breaking into their pension funds” to pay more prize money. Jay Monahan, the commissioner of the PGA Tour, stated that the Tour uses reserves to pay for higher purses.
Trump stated that the PGA was destroying the PGA. They were stupid, and they shouldn’t have been stupid. They had a wonderful opportunity.
“The Tour handled it so badly, and the people at its top, something should happen to them, they mishandled the situation so badly. As Richard Nixon stated, the Tour decided to “stonewall” it. They didn’t like the results.
Trump was highly complimentary of his game and course.
After learning that they were journalists, he stated “Not bad”, to a group reporters. “I played pretty well.”
The Blue Monster?
He said, “I think it’s great.” “The place is loved by the players and has been for a long time, even though it’s hard and large.
“We planted over a thousand palm trees. They started to disappear over the years because of the Tour. They set up soup stands, put up food, or something ridiculous and would take down two palm trees. We took everything back and multiplied it by approximately 750.
