Golf

Donald Trump rocks up to final round at Doral amid fanfare

The US presidential candidate insists that he has a good relationship with golf’s governing bodies

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump makes an appearance prior to the start of play and speaks with golfer Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland during the final round of the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship at Trump National Doral Blue Monster Course in Doral, Florida. Photo: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump makes an appearance prior to the start of play and speaks with golfer Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland during the final round of the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship at Trump National Doral Blue Monster Course in Doral, Florida. Photo: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
Sun Mar 06 2016 - 22:21

Donald Trump insists he has good relationships with golf's governing bodies despite the controversial views he has expressed during his election campaign.

Golf’s most influential organisations distanced themselves from Turnberry owner Trump in the wake of his views on Mexican immigrants, which were expressed when the 69-year-old announced his decision to stand for the Republican nomination for President of the United States in June last year.

The Grand Slam of Golf was moved from Trump National in Los Angeles in October, while the PGA Tour is considering alternative venues for the WGC-Cadillac Championship from 2017 after his call for a “total and complete” ban on Muslims entering America following terrorist attacks.

“My relationship [with golf’s ruling bodies] is very good, I’m also the frontrunner [for the Republican presidential nomination],” Trump told reporters on a visit to Doral during Sunday’s final round.

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“Being the frontrunner people like you more than if you were number 12.”

The PGA Tour has a contract to hold the WGC event at Doral until 2023, but with the provision that a new title sponsor would have the right to take the tournament elsewhere. Cadillac’s sponsorship ends this year.

“I have a great relationship with the Tour and I have a great relationship with Cadillac,” Trump added. “In fact we just extended our relationship for another three years [to provide cars for Trump’s various properties].

“I don’t know how Cadillac is doing with the Tour. I don’t know if there’s going to be an extension or not, but I would imagine you could get another sponsor pretty easily in South Florida.”

Turnberry last staged the Open in 2009 and the earliest it could return is 2022, with the R&A seemingly happy to delay a decision for as long as possible.

“Turnberry has always been the players’ favourite course,” Trump told Sky Sports. “We have taken the ninth, 10th and 11th holes and moved them back into the ocean.

“We have got the tees on number 18 in the ocean and we have done it all in conjunction with the Royal and Ancient. Turnberry will be something very special.”

Speaking about the possible move from Doral, PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem told a press conference: “If you look back on the last, say, 30 years, we have moved out of markets before, but not very often. And usually, we look at the situation as to how can we improve it. We’re not looking to leave.

“Having said that, we have to have sponsorship to conduct a tournament. So it’s never in our business to make all the decisions. We have partners and stakeholders, and they have a lot to say about these things.”