President Trump’s Ryder Cup Plans Confirmed After Last-Minute Executive Order Stops Transport Strike

The 45^th Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black is expected to welcome over 250,000 fans during the course of the week, as golf lovers from around the world descend on the town of Farmingdale for the biennial match.

That alone makes the occasion one of the biggest the Long Island community will have ever witnessed, but making it even bigger is the fact that, among the spectators attending Friday’s opening day will be US President Donald Trump.

Not only that, but according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, the match is only able to take place thanks to Trump’s intervention in the form of an executive order preventing Long Island Rail Road strike action that could have crippled transportation in the area.

Leavitt confirmed Trump's attendance - and news of his intervention - at a press conference on Tuesday, saying: “On Friday, the president will travel to Long Island for the Ryder Cup golf match between the United States and Europe.

“This event is one of the greatest sporting events in the world and it would not be taking place this year without President Trump's help.

“President Trump signed an executive order last week preventing a strike that would have crippled the New York City area ahead of the tournament and at the request of the five labor unions who all represent workers on the Long Island railroad.”

One of the key members of the US team at the match will be LIV Golfer Bryson DeChambeau, and Leavitt went on to explain that he had thanked Trump for his intervention.

Leavitt quoted the two-time US Open champion, saying: “When the possibility of a strike threatened to disrupt transportation and attendance, President Trump stepped up and took the action needed to protect this world-class competition.

“Thanks to President Trump’s decisive leadership, the Ryder Cup experience will be everything fans and the golf community deserve.”

DeChambeau is not the only member of the US team to praise Trump. On Tuesday, Scottie Scheffler told reporters at Bethpage Black: "The president is kind of funny. 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.

"That was one of the things I noticed a lot with the little bit of time I spent with him, is he treats everybody the same and treats people with the utmost respect.

"Whether you’re the person serving us lunch or the caddie on the golf course or the guy who’s the president of the club that we’re at, he treats everybody like they’re the greatest person in the world.

"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.”

Last week, Trump signed an executive order to establish a Presidential Emergency Board aiming to "investigate disputes" between the Long Island Rail Road and the unions. As a result, the threat of strike action has been delayed for months.

It’s no secret that Trump is a huge golf fan, as the owner of a string of world-renowned courses, and is regularly spotted playing at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

It’s not the first time an intervention has affected high-level golf-related matters, either.

Earlier in the year, Trump also held talks between officials on the PGA Tour and LIV Golf in a bid to finally broker an agreement that could see the two rivals coexist – something that has yet to come to pass.

Nor is Trump a stranger to attending tournaments, having been spotted at numerous LIV Golf events, including April’s Miami event, held at Trump National Doral, alongside son Eric.

However, with strike action averted, his appearance for the opening day of the Ryder Cup is sure to add yet another big talking point to an occasion that hardly needs an excuse to get the crowd going.