Golf Channel tied in the start of the Republican National Convention to its latest episode of "Feherty," which featured presumptive Republican presidential nominee DONALD TRUMP talking about his role in the golf industry. Host David Feherty noted "golf and opulence" have been the backdrop of Trump's run to the White House. Trump has staged numerous campaign rallies at his own golf properties because, as he said, "I own properties that are so presidential.” He noted his Trump National golf courses in DC and L.A. "would be great places to have presidential rallies." Trump: "We’ll see. I might use them.” Trump addressed the WGC-Cadillac Championship moving from his property in Miami to Mexico City, saying, "I’m disappointed because Doral has gotten rave reviews. I blew up Doral ... and it’s an incredible piece of property, 800 acres right in the middle of Miami. We built a course using similar sightlines, but a brand-new course in every way and at the highest levels of golf. The players loved it. Sadly, Mexico made an offer that was a lot of money, and Mexico is taking a lot of our businesses. The players are unhappy about it.” Feherty noted that part of the issue was that officials "felt that it was difficult to compete for major sponsors for the tournament to compete with the Trump brand." He asked, "Did you ever consider perhaps sponsoring the tournament by yourself?” Trump: “Usually people that want to do that want recognition for their name, their brand, their company. And I don't need too much recognition.” He said the tournament “did want to stay” and the PGA Tour execs were “total gentlemen” when they informed him the tournament was moving. Trump: “I expect that we’ll have tournaments back there very soon.”
TURN, TURN, TURNBERRY: Trump owns the Turnberry golf course in Scotland, which was scheduled to host the '20 British Open before the tournament was pulled due to comments Trump made on the campaign trail last year. Feherty noted PGA Tour Commissioner TIM FINCHEM called the changes made to the course "brilliant." Trump said, "That’s a great honor. Tim’s a good guy. For many, many years, they’ve wanted to do these changes. That incredible coastline doesn't change. For literally decades they wanted to make those changes.” He said the 11th hole at Turnberry “was a little bit not so exciting, and now it’s one of the most beautiful holes in the world.” He also called the lighthouse at Turnberry an “incredible landmark and built many, many years ago, just so historic." Trump: "My son, ERIC, who is very good at construction, I put him in charge of the whole job. He did a job on the lighthouse and now it’s two incredible suites so people can stay out there by the lighthouse and with the waves crashing on to it. It's incredible.” He added, “The Scottish government has been incredible. They worked with us long and hard on getting approvals because it’s a total landmark. They really wanted to see something done and they were so incredible, and the community has been fantastic. It's really been an amazing love fest because everybody loves Turnberry … (and) it was time that somebody did something” ("Feherty,” Golf Channel, 7/18).
