Donald Trump Jr has labelled disgraced former Ryder Cup captain Henrik Stenson’s win at LIV Golf ‘the greatest f*** you in the history of golf’.
The lucrative series, funded by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, has divided golf with the PGA and DP World Tours fractured after the new series poached some of the sport's biggest names. Several of the world’s most prominent players have decided to switch to LIV Golf, including the likes of Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, and Dustin Johnson.
Former Team Europe Ryder Cup captain Henrik Stenson secured a two-stroke victory at the third LIV Golf event - which took place in Bedminster - to earn a £3.37 million payout, more than the £2.08 million awarded to Australian Cameron Smith for securing the coveted Open title last month. His win comes after the Swede was publicly stripped of his captaincy following his switch to LIV Golf.
After Stenson took the stunning victory at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster - the course in New Jersey owned by his former president father - Trump Jr took to Twitter to celebrate. Stenson’s move to LIV Golf was wholly controversial as he was removed from his iconic Ryder Cup role.
The scrutiny didn’t appear to slow Stenson down as he played his best golf in years to finish 11-under. The 46-year-old fired a dig at Ryder Cup organisers after securing the win, claiming he felt he played ‘like a captain’.
Stenson, part of the Majesticks, had to make do with second place in the team competition, splitting £1.23 million with Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Sam Horsfield. Johnson’s 4Aces won the team event just as they did in Portland, with the American dividing the £2.46 million winnings with Patrick Reed, Talor Gooch and Pat Perez.
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Former President Donald Trump ensured the build up received adequate media attention. The 76-year-old played in the LIV Golf Pro-Am and hinted he is gearing up to run for office in the 2024 United States presidential elections.
He declared LIV Golf ‘a great thing for Saudi Arabia’ while encouraging players to ‘take the money’ and join the controversial series, while he was also quizzed on national television about his decision to host the LIV Golf tournament bankrolled by Saudi Arabia at his club. When asked about the protests of 9/11 victims’ families, Trump simply shrugged his shoulders and said: “Well, nobody’s gotten to the bottom of 9/11 unfortunately and they should have.”
Trump then remarkably tried to put a positive spin on the event by referring to those in attendance as ‘great people’ and talked up all the ‘fun’ they were set to have. Trump’s son Eric, along with major champions Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau, joined him in the pro-am group, which was played without spectators.
Trump, who owns a number of elite golf courses throughout the world, will also see the season-ending LIV Golf event played at his Doral course near Miami. LIV Golf have created a divide in the sport, with Trump naturally lending his voice to the issue by taking to Truth Social to brand the PGA Tour as disloyal.
