Ryder Cup organisers plan ‘seamless’ event despite Donald Trump appearance

Ryder Cup organisers insist hosting a “seamless, secure” event is their priority as concerns grow over the impact of an appearance by United States president Donald Trump.

Trump’s attendance at the US Open men’s tennis final resulted in hundreds of fans missing the start due to enhanced security protocols.

The PGA of America is seeking to mitigate the impact his presence may have at Bethpage in New York, with the worry any arrival for the highly-anticipated first tee shots on Friday is likely to create significant chaos.

“While President Trump has indicated interest in attending the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage, specific details have not been confirmed,” said a statement from the organisers.

“As we get closer to Ryder Cup week, we will communicate any relevant updates that may impact the Ryder Cup experience.

“Our priority remains delivering a seamless, secure and first-class event for all our guests.”

It is an issue European captain Luke Donald has already factored into his planning.

“We were told that he’s coming Friday. We don’t know the details yet. I guess he will want to be on the first tee. Again, we understand that he’s coming and both teams will be ready for that,” he said.

“The PGA of America is obviously organising this. There was some delays at the tennis. I think you’re probably all aware of that, but hopefully they have learnt from that.

“It’s a big process, obviously, to get a president to come to an event. There’s a lot of security and everything.

“It’s not like he’s just going to turn up and we didn’t expect it. We know he’s going to be there, so it’s fine.”

However, Trump has an “open invitation” to visit Ireland for next year’s Irish Open at Doonbeg, the club he owns.

Rory McIlroy will defend the title he won on Sunday at Trump International Golf Links Ireland in County Clare in September 2026 after the venue was confirmed as host following the release of the DP World Tour schedule on Wednesday.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin, speaking to reporters on Wednesday, said there was “no question that President Trump will be welcome to Ireland” given the economic, cultural and familial links between Ireland and the US.

Tourism Minister Peter Burke added Trump would be a “welcome visitor in our country” as he emphasised the importance of increasing ties with the US.

In a statement the US president’s son Eric, executive vice-president of the Trump Organisation, said: “This tournament is one of the most celebrated events in golf, and bringing it to Trump Ireland is a true testament to the standard of excellence that’s upheld at this property.

“The course is absolutely remarkable and we are honoured to welcome the DP World Tour, its players and fans from across the globe to experience the beauty and challenge of our championship links.”

However, the prize Trump desperately wants is the return of The Open to his Turnberry resort in Scotland, although that prospect remains unlikely with the R&A citing issues with infrastructure as the main barrier.