Donald Trump headed out to his golf club in Virginia on Saturday to take in a few hours of LIV Golf’s latest tournament from behind bulletproof glass.
The president’s motorcade arrived at the course and he was driven by golf cart to a specially-prepared VIP area alongside the course, where he was joined by his son Eric to take in some of the tournament.
His appearance at LIV’s latest event comes just days after he had urged players from the Saudi-backed breakaway tour to return to the PGA Tour, creating a potentially-awkward environment for him at the Trump National course.
LIV is enduring a difficult situation after the Saudi Public Investment Fund announced its intention to pull funding this summer, leaving bosses scrambling around to find enough cash to continue.
Trump attended a PGA Tour event at his Miami Doral course last weekend, and on Thursday told reporters in the Oval Office that LIV players returning to the PGA would be beneficial for the game.
‘I do believe that all of the golfers should be playing against each other,’ he said. ‘They were viewing something as a monopoly, but it’s swaying away. It should be the opposite of a monopoly.
Donald Trump chats to his son Eric as he watches LIV Golf’s event at his Virginia course
Trump stood behind bulletproof glass as he attended his second golf event in two weekends
The president waved at the crowds as he was driven to a specially-prepared VIP area
Eric Trump was seen chatting to officials in the VIP area on the third day of the tournament
‘I want to see Rory [McIlroy] playing Bryson DeChambeau. I want to see big Jon Rahm playing Scottie, who is so great. Scottie Scheffler is great.
‘They have great players on LIV, but it’s almost like people want to see that. That’s why the Masters was so good, because you saw everybody together.
‘The tour wants to have the best players. You can’t have the best player that they’re boycotting now. They may do something, you know, a little bit, but they’ll all be back on tour, and it’ll be great. I don’t know what’s happening with LIV.’
A number of Trump’s courses have held LIV events in the past, and in August the players will travel to another in Bedminster, New Jersey.
The president has been vocal about his desire for LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour
A member of the US Secret Service stands guard during Trump’s visit to the course Saturday
Protestors stood near the course, demonstrating against Trump and the Saudi-backed series
The motorcade carrying President Trump is seen on its way to the Trump National course
On Sunday, Trump took in the action alongside his son Eric, and shook hands with various officials from his vantage point on the course.
Fox News reported that he also spoke with someone from Saudi’s Public Investment Fund while in attendance.
In the tournament itself, Australia’s Lucas Herbert topped the leaderboard at the end of day three, four shots clear of Spain’s Sergio Garcia.
Bryson DeChambeau, who was seen with Trump at the White House earlier this week, sits a few shots back in fifth place.
