President Trump would be more than welcome to join Team Europe on stage if they were to win the Ryder Cup this weekend, Justin Rose said Wednesday morning before his practice round at Bethpage Black.
Rose — a noted fan of Premier League team Chelsea — was asked about the hypothetical situation by a reporter, who referenced the Club World Cup this summer, where Trump joined the soccer club on stage after it captured the trophy at MetLife Stadium.
“One-hundred percent, yeah, would love the opportunity to have that opportunity,” the English golfer said, before joking that the president may not want to be up there if the Americans don’t win.
“Listen, I’m not sure he’s going to want to be on the stage congratulating the team that sort of wins in his backyard. But listen, of course, he’s the President, ultimate respect, and that would be a great opportunity.”
Trump is planning to attend the opening day of the Ryder Cup on Friday, but there are no known plans for him to be at Bethpage State Park beyond that.
The Ryder Cup will mark the fourth major sporting event that the president has attended in the New York-Metropolitan area since he took office in January and the third in the last month — having attended a Sept. 11 game at Yankee Stadium and the U.S. Open men’s final in Queens.
Trump helped present the Club World Cup trophy to Chelsea after it won the revamped tournament in July and remained on stage as the players celebrated the win, momentarily perplexing Chelsea star Cole Palmer.
“I knew he was going to be here, but I didn’t know he was going to be on the stand when we lifted the trophy. I was a bit confused, yes,” the footballer told reporters after the match.
Trump’s visit to the U.S. Open earlier this month created logistical headaches for tennis fans trying to enter the match and delayed the final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz for 30 minutes.
Ryder Cup officials have already warned eventgoers that they should “arrive as early as possible and should budget extra time as they plan their day” due to the presidential visit on Friday.
Reports have indicated the PGA of America have suggested that Trump arrive later in the day, though no official timeline for his arrival has been announced.
“In addition to security screening at the entrance, spectators will be subjected to TSA-style screening points around the Clubhouse, adjacent grandstand and surrounding areas,” organizers warned in an advisory released on Wednesday. “If spectators leave these secure areas, they will need to be screened again prior to reentering that area. Gates will open for ticket holders at 5 a.m. Guests should make every effort to restrict personal items to a minimum.”
Rose didn’t believe the president’s presence would be too much of a distraction for the European team.
“I don’t think he’s going to necessarily be on the tee box with us or roaming the course,” Rose said. “So from that point of view, I think there will just be a lot of noise around it, but I’m not sure there will be the continued distraction of it. But again, I could be wrong, just based upon what I’ve heard, how they’re going to handle his movements around the property. Listen, it’s great for golf that he’s engaged in the game and obviously, he brings a lot of eyeballs with him.”
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