SI's Alan Shipnuck took a look at PRESIDENT TRUMP's connection to golf, noting that his "private clubs are where he feels most comfortable, and holding court with members and guests and employees is an important part of the ritual." Trump "favors the latest in TaylorMade equipment, owing to a long-standing friendship" with Adidas Group North American President MARK KING, the former TaylorMade CEO. Trump has often said that golf is a "small part of his businesses but that it means more to him than any of the others." Since being elected he has "played golf with and had multiple phone conversations with" PGA of America CEO PETE BEVACQUA (SI, 8/7 issue).
RED CARPET: NASCAR last night held a premiere for "LOGAN LUCKY" at the SMG EpiCentre theater in uptown Charlotte ahead of the film’s release on Aug. 18. Attendees for the film, which centers around a heist at SMI’s Charlotte Motor Speedway, included NASCAR VP/Entertainment Marketing & Content Development ZANE STODDARD, who was an exec producer of the film, alongside drivers BRAD KESELOWSKI, KYLE LARSON, RYAN BLANEY and JOEY LOGANO (Adam Stern, Staff Writer).
NAMES: L.A. Mayor ERIC GARCETTI has "always been expected to delay any announcement about his political plans until after the Olympics was secured." Now with the '28 Games secured it should give Garcetti a "modest, near-term bump." Any "infrastructure failures, cost-overruns or other disasters will come long after Garcetti is gone." Meanwhile, former NFLer ROSEY GRIER has "dropped his bid for California governor" (POLITICO.com, 8/1)....The NBA's latest outreach effort in India was "last week's three-day visit" by Warriors F KEVIN DURANT. After a welcome party hosted by Bollywood star ABHISHEK BACCHAN, Durant got "down to the business of promoting basketball, taking part in a practice session with the NBA Academy players and then running drills with thousands of kids in a record-breaking event" (ESPN.com, 8/1).....Texas Motor Speedway President EDDIE GOSSAGE will receive Middle Tennessee State’s Distinguished Alumni Award (TMS)....A portion of Milton Parkway in Fulton County, Ga., is “now known as JOHN SMOLTZ Highway” (BIZJOURNALS.com, 8/1).
IN MEMORY: Hoop-It-Up tournament Founder TERRY MURPHY passed away Monday at the age of 77. In the early ‘80s, Murphy “launched the basketball tournament, Hoop-D-Do, to benefit Special Olympics.” Then in ’88, Murphy “resigned as D Magazine publisher to develop the basketball tournament, which evolved into Hoop-It-Up.” He “recruited Pizza Hut and Pepsi as title sponsors, expanding the tournament to 18 cities.” In ’89, Murphy “formed Streetball Partners International Inc., which eventually added tournaments for other sports.” He then sold the business in ’00 and “settled into retirement” (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 8/2)….Golf Channel’s DAVID FEHERTY yesterday on Twitter revealed his 29-year-old son SHEY “died of a drug overdose on Saturday.” A funeral service was held yesterday in Dallas (AP, 8/1).
