Donald Trump is set to be brought in from the cold by the traditional tours with negotiations under way for the former US President’s controversial course in Aberdeenshire to stage an event on the European seniors circuit next year, which would also be televised on Sky Sports.
If a deal is struck – and it is understood that one is close to being signed for an event at Trump International Links – then the move under the umbrella of the DP World Tour will surprise many in the game, especially with Trump’s Doral resort here in Miami staging the $50million grand finale of the inaugural LIV Golf season this week.
After the PGA of America stripped Trump Bedminister of last year’s US PGA Championship in the wake of the Jan 6 Capitol riots, it was generally assumed that was it as far as Trump and the professional game’s establishment was concerned, with the billionaire suing the US organisation and raging against his exile.
Trump quickly forged ties with the Saudis, who were in the process of setting up their breakaway league, with Bedminister staging a LIV event in July, as well as this team tournament which begins on Friday at Doral. Trump has urged the top names to follow the likes of Open champion Cam Smith, Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson in jumping ship, accusing the PGA Tour of “not acting well” and claiming it has “not been loved by a lot of the players for a long time”.
There has been no doubt of which side Trump is on in golf’s civil war and his patronage will inevitably only be highlighted yet further here when the 76-year-old tees it up in Thursday’s pro-am. Trump’s golfing relationship with the Saudis and the Kingdom’s $600billion sovereign wealth fund has been coined “The Axis of Eagle”.
That is why a fresh Trump relationship with the Legends Tour will raise eyebrows. Formerly known as the European Seniors Tour, the Legends Tour is a joint venture between insurance magnate Ryan Howsam and the DP World Tour. In a statement, Howsam said: “We are in the process of finalising our 2023 schedule and have held preliminary discussions with a number of high-profile venues which fit with the Legends Tour model.”
The over-50s circuit, which features a cast list of former Ryder Cup heroes and major champions, including Colin Montgomerie, Ian Woosnam, Paul Lawrie, Paul McGinley, Darren Clarke and Ian Woosnam, is governed out of Wentworth, and ultimately falls under the remit of Keith Pelley.
The DP World Tour chief executive has recently come under fire for signing a ‘strategic alliance’ with the PGA Tour, with his critics insisting that it is now merely a feeder league, but this prospective allegiance with Trump would surely show that Pelley’s circuit retains a great deal of autonomy. The Legends Tour has been keen to raise its profile and develop new income streams.
A potential end to Trump’s ostracisation?
Trump has not hosted a PGA Tour event since he was elected to the White House in 2016. He acquired Doral in 2012 and was ubiquitous when the Blue Monster continued to stage a World Golf Championship event won, among others, by Tiger Woods, Mickelson and Justin Rose. But the Tour ended the 54-year association with Doral in the wake of some of Trump’s incendiary comments and despite his huge and impressive portfolio of golf courses he has been on the outside, furiously looking in.
The jewel in his golfing collection is Turnberry but the R&A has made it clear that the revered Ayrshire links will not host another Open whilst Trump is at large. However, this potential bond will give Trump hope that his ostracisation is not permanent.
The Trump International Links in Balmedie has been mired in controversy since before it was opened in 2012. There have been running battles with environmentalists desperate to preserve the 4,000-year-old sand-dune system on the Menie estates, with local residents and with the Scottish Government.
The chaotic and at times vitriolic unrest was charted in a BBC TV documentary “You’ve Been Trumped”, with Trump sending in his lawyers against the film-makers. Trump has characteristically hailed the Martin Hawtree design as “the best course in the world” and in 2015 declared that it would soon be the home of the Scottish Open.
“The Scottish Open wants to be here forever, they think this is the best course they’ve ever seen,” Trump said. That marriage never came to fruition, but now it appears that the picturesque property perched on the North sea coastline will be a staging post on Tour, albeit not on the most high-profile circuit.
“The range has been abuzz with the speculation for weeks,” a well-known Legends Tour pro told Telegraph Sport. “It’s bound to cause a stir – with Trump it always does, and gives us the exposure we crave. There have even been more rumours that he, himself, might play.”
The Tour has been approached for comment.