'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The controversial LIV Golf Series season-ending team championship event is now underway. The pro-am event for the Saudi-backed series' final kicked off on Thursday (October 27). Interestingly, former US President Donald Trump arrived at the event and teed off with LIV golfer Brooks Koepka.
Trump made an appearance at the Trump Doral in Miami; a golf club owned by him. As part of the team championship taking place from October 27 to 30, Trump had a few things to say about the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. The former President was heavily critical of the American circuit while lauding the rebel series for its growth.
Trending
Donald Trump slams PGA Tour at LIV Golf event
Trump's comments about LIV Golf came as he was speaking to the media at the Trump Doral in Miami. The former president and business tycoon said that more 'big names’' were headed to LIV Golf and the PGA Tour was wrong to disregard the rebel series.
Furthermore, Trump called on the PGA to be more accessible in this situation. He slammed the circuit’s decision to suspend golfers who participate in LIV events. Speaking amid a raging LIV-PGA fight, he hinted that the Saudi-backed series has an advantage.
Speaking to the media, Donald Trump said:
“The Tour mishandled it so badly… The people at the top... something should happen with them. They mishandled it so badly. They not only had an advantage, they are dealing with very good people with unlimited money. They’re good people with unlimited money. And something could have been worked out very easily.”
He added:
“And the Tour decided to go, as Richard Nixon said, to stonewall it. That didn’t work out too well for them. As we said before, what they did is bad for golf. They could have had something so incredible. And now they’ve punched into the pension fund in order to lift up prize money. And the players are not happy with that, the pension fund. So, it’s going to be very interesting.”
The former president also played the role of LIV Golf’s advocate and stated that the series was only going to grow next season. He said:
“And by the way, a lot of other people are coming over. Big names. You know that. The star system is always very important in sports. Whether it’s sports or anything else. And they’ve got the stars."
Donald Trump and LIV Golf
It is pertinent to note that Donald Trump has been close to LIV Golf since its inception. The Trump National Golf Club Bedminster hosted one of the invitational series’ initial events.
Despite criticism from some, including a group consisting of the families of the 9/11 victims, Trump openly supported the series and even attended the event in person.
It is also noteworthy that Doral was a venue for the PGA Tour from 1962 through 2016. However, the circuit passed the venue in 2016, which didn’t sit well with Trump. He claimed that the move was politically motivated and said that he hoped the PGA had 'kidnapping insurance'. Trump was running for president of the USA at the time.
