Fans at the Ryder Cup, which started on Friday at the legendary Bethpage Black course in New York, provided a fresh gauge of Donald Trump’s standing in the sports world.
When Trump made his entrance, the crowd erupted in cheers and chants of his name. This display was a stark contrast to the recent US Open tennis tournament, where he faced boos from the audience. However, he received a more positive welcome at a UFC event back in April, earning a standing ovation.
On this Friday during the Ryder Cup, Trump, dressed in a suit and striking white golf shoes, encouraged U.S. players from the tee box in hopes of rallying the team after their shaky start in the tournament’s history.
Throughout his second term, Trump has experienced mixed reactions at sports events. But his deep ties to golf, including ownership of several golf courses, make this sport particularly significant for him. Just this past August, the PGA Tour announced its return to Trump-owned venues, with the Miami Championship slated for Trump’s Blue Monster course next spring.
Supporters on-site expressed excitement too. Bryson DeChambeau, a key player on the U.S. team, said, “I hope he’ll inspire us to victory. I think he’ll be a great force for us to get a lot of people on our side.”
Greg Nathan, who leads the National Golf Foundation, believes this Ryder Cup exemplifies a powerful wave of American patriotism. “You’re going to see an intensely passionate New York fan base, very patriotic, rooting hard for the American team,” he noted.
During the opening ceremony earlier in the week, the crowd’s enthusiasm turned partisan, evident as they booed Governor Kathy Hochul and European captain Luke Donald.
Ahead of Trump’s visit on Friday, organizers implemented enhanced security protocols, prohibiting certain items from entering the course.
The tournament is being held at Bethpage Black, renowned as a premier public course located in Farmingdale, Long Island, which boasts a population of less than 10,000. The event is expected to attract up to five times that number.
Mayor Ralph Ekstrand, who has been in office for 13 years and has worked as a pharmacist in the village for even longer, emphasized the unprecedented nature of this year’s event compared to previous tournaments at Bethpage.
“Typically, we have about 8,000 people arriving by train for the PGA or USGA events. However, this Ryder Cup they anticipate around 22,000 at the station on Friday, another 22,000 on Saturday, and another 22,000 on Sunday,” Ekstrand pointed out.
In preparation for the influx, New York’s Long Island Rail Road will run nine additional trains, and the PGA will provide complimentary shuttle buses from the Farmingdale Station to the Ryder Cup venue.
The Legacy of Bethpage Black: Hosting Golf’s 2025 Ryder Cup
Not long ago, access to Bethpage Black earned it the nickname of “the People’s Country Club,” yet ticket prices for the Ryder Cup have skyrocketed. Some resellers, like StubHub Inc., are listing tickets as high as $2,000 during play days. Ekstrand recounted that he purchased a Sunday ticket for $750 directly from the Ryder Cup, a sharp increase from past events.
“I can’t say what they charged in Whistling Straits, Minnesota, but I’m certain it wasn’t $750,” he reflected, mentioning the previous Ryder Cup in 2021. He also noted that tickets for the recent European tournament in Italy were around $250.
“They’ve figured that fans in the tri-state area would happily pay these prices because tickets sold out in just eight days,” Ekstrand added.
The Ryder Cup is projected to bring a $200 million economic boost to New York, according to Derek Sprague, the CEO of the PGA of America.
During a recent event at Bloomberg Power Players New York, Sprague highlighted key interest, noting that half a million people preregistered for tickets, while over 30,000 applied to volunteer.
“They’re building a small city there,” he concluded.
This year marks the Ryder Cup’s first outing in the tri-state area, drawing attention even from those who typically don’t follow golf. Just last week, Hochul announced that Bethpage would host the 2028 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the Men’s PGA Championship in 2033, reaffirming New York’s status in the world of professional golf.
