The U.S. Women's Open at Trump National Bedminster this week "presents an especially tricky test for all the women competing," as golfers must be "wary of offending the sport’s elitist white male fan base and the women’s activist groups expected to make their presence felt," according to Karen Crouse of the N.Y. TIMES. The winner of the tournament is "likely to be overshadowed" by President Trump, who is "expected to be on the grounds at some point during the weekend rounds." Politics, sports and gender have "become hopelessly tangled this week because of Trump’s connection to golf." Golfer Cristie Kerr last week said she wished people could “chill out” and not politicize everything (N.Y. TIMES, 7/12). In N.Y., John Harper notes none of the five golfers speaking to the media yesterday "would go anywhere near the subject" of playing at a course owned by Trump. Golfer Brittany Lincicome last month was quoted as saying that she "hoped Trump would stay away during the tournament so as not to take the spotlight away from the players." That resulted in her getting "harassed on Twitter to the point where she wrote on Sunday that she’s shutting down her account this week." Players "ought to be angry at the USGA for putting them in this position, refusing to move this tournament" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/12). Lincicome yesterday said, "I don’t have anything against the President. I’m not political. Him showing or not showing isn’t a big deal. I wanted it to be more about us and not flip the limelight to him. It’s our biggest week of the year.” GOLFWEEK's Beth Ann Nichols wrote Lincicome is "not anti-Trump," but is "pro-LPGA." She "simply wanted the stage to belong to the 156 female athletes who have gathered on Trump’s property to compete for the biggest purse of the year" (GOLFWEEK.com, 7/11).
MISSED OPPORTUNITY? GOLFCHANNEL.com's Randall Mell noted USGA Exec Dir Mike Davis did not attend yesterday's annual pre-tournament news conference, and while he "doesn’t always make an appearance," his absence yesterday was "especially glaring" amid a report that Trump threatened to sue the USGA if it were to move the event from this week's site. While Davis "didn’t have to dodge any hardballs Tuesday, he’s the one who got the black eye." He "needed to be there" yesterday if "only to send a message with his mere presence." His presence would have served to "reassure the women in his charge that he cares about their event just as much as he does the men’s event." He "needed to be there to face what they faced." USGA President Diana Murphy also "wasn't at" the news conference (GOLFCHANNEL.com, 7/11). In Newark, Steve Politi notes USGA officials have "said, again and again and again, that they want the nation's premier event for women's golf to be about the players and the competition." But they also are the ones who "assured that Donald Trump's presence would swallow this tournament whole this week whether or not he decided to attend." Golfer Inbee Park, who is from South Korea, "had to answer questions about Trump" while Davis did not. Politi: "Unthinkably, the man ultimately responsible for the decision to play here did not face the media ... instead leaving that responsibility to three underlings and the players" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 7/12). USA TODAY's Christine Brennan notes Davis has "conveniently avoided answering questions about Trump’s boasts of groping women by claiming he doesn’t want to get into 'politics'" (USA TODAY, 7/12).
NOT SHYING AWAY FROM TRUMP: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Brian Costa reports Davis has said he "wouldn't hesitate to bring future events to Trump courses." Davis: "As good as the Trump Organization is with their portfolio, I can’t imagine if they invite us in the future that we wouldn’t seriously look at it." Costa notes since the presidential election, golf’s organizing bodies "have hardly run from their association with Trump and his 18 clubs." The R&A in February "reaffirmed Turnberry’s place on the rotation of courses that host the British Open, albeit with the timing of its next turn unclear." The Senior PGA Championship in May was "held as planned at a Trump course in Potomac Falls, Va." A source said that the European Tour also is "considering bringing the Scottish Open to a Trump course" in Aberdeen, Scotland, in '19. Meanwhile, Phil Mickelson last week "signed on to redesign a course in Bali that will become Trump’s 19th golf property" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/12).
