President Donald Trump‘s next stop will be the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, and organizers have adjusted his schedule to prevent the kind of delays that marred his tennis appearance.
Trump was originally set to arrive at the Ryder Cup before the first tee shot at 07:10 ET on Friday, September 26.
The PGA of America, however, asked the president to push back his arrival until closer to the start of the afternoon fourball matches. The change is designed to avoid major security bottlenecks and ensure play begins on time.
Lessons learned from Flushing Meadows
Concerns stem from what happened earlier this month at the U.S. Open, when Trump became the first sitting president at the tournament since Bill Clinton in 2000.
Fans were left waiting outside Arthur Ashe Stadium as heightened security caused long lines and delayed entry. The final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, scheduled for 14:00, did not begin until nearly 15:00. The 48-minute holdup did not affect the tennis itself, thanks to the lights, but golf does not offer the same flexibility.
Bryan Karns, the Ryder Cup’s tournament director, told Front Office Sports that tee times cannot be pushed back.
“We actually won’t be able to delay the tee times because we don’t have the evening. At Arthur Ashe Stadium, you can flip those lights on, you can go late. Whereas we don’t have that luxury of doing that, and you obviously want to make sure, if possible, you’re finishing both sessions on the day we start them so the fans can see it from start to finish,” Karns said.
Golf’s vulnerability to fading daylight is well known. The 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla had players rushing shots in near-darkness after rain delays pushed the schedule back. A similar issue arose at the ANNIKA event in 2024, where darkness forced hurried play and reignited the slow-play debate on the LPGA Tour.
By moving Trump‘s arrival later in the morning, organizers hope to prevent disruptions to both players and fans. While security measures remain strict, the PGA of America has planned additional protocols to keep the schedule intact. The decision reflects the unique challenge of balancing presidential attendance with the demands of a tightly timed sporting event.
Read the full article here
