The growth of President Donald Trump’s presence in professional golf is on display yet again this week as Trump Bedminster in New Jersey hosts the LIV Golf New York event.
Bedminster is the third of five Trump-owned courses hosting tournaments across golf’s top three pro tours this year, up from two in 2025.
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Trump Washington D.C.: LIV Golf Virginia May 7-10
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Trump Bedminster: LIV Golf New York Aug. 6-9
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Trump Aberdeen (Scotland): DP World Tour Nexo Championship Aug. 20-23
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Trump Doonbeg (Ireland): DP World Tour Irish Open Sept. 10-13
Last year, Doral hosted LIV Golf Miami and Trump Scotland hosted the Nexo Championship. Trump Scotland has also hosted the PGA Seniors Championship, a tournament for men age 50 and above, this year and last year.
Doral was the biggest single golf moneymaker for Trump’s golf portfolio in 2025, according to the president’s annual financial disclosure report released by the U.S. Office of Government Ethics. The property brought in more than $121.8 million in “golf & hotel related revenue.” Bedminster was the highest earning of Trump’s clubs that reported strictly “golf related revenue,” totalling $37.6 million.
LIV’s Trump Connection
LIV has played at least one Trump-owned course per season since the league launched in 2022, but is back at Bedminster for the first time since 2023. LIV CEO Scott O’Neil made it a point to thank the Trump Organization at his pre-tournament press conference this week.
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“It is a spectacular golf course,” O’Neil said. “Very, very grateful for President Trump, for Eric Trump who runs the golf properties, and (Trump Organization EVP) Larry Glick. The players say it, the team says it, the fans say it: When you come to a Trump course, it’s something special. It starts with the people.”
Eric Trump and Glick played in Wednesday’s pro-am at Bedminster. Secret Service was on-site during Round 1 on Thursday, with the president expected to attend the LIV tournament at some point this weekend, as he typically does at major events at one of his courses.
“The courses are fantastic, but it’s the people,” O’Neil said. “They attract some of the most wonderful people who can stop on a dime, who can pivot, who understand service, who understand what world class golf courses mean and need. So a proper thank you to them for all they’ve done.”
Bedminster was once set to host the 2022 PGA Championship—which would have marked the first men’s major hosted at a Trump-owned course—but the PGA of America moved that tournament to Oklahoma after the events of Jan. 6, 2021.
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Bedminster Cashing In
Beyond LIV’s standard merchandise tent at the New York event, the clubhouse pro shop at Bedminster is open to the public this week—typically pro shops are closed to general admission fans during tournaments.
The pro shop has been stocked with extra merch featuring a wide array of Bedminster- and Trump-themed gear, everything from hats and polos with standard club logos to USA 250-inspired pullovers and headcovers, as well as anything you can imagine with “45” and “47” branding—a nod to the president’s terms in office.
Pricing is mostly standard with other similar golf courses, with hats ranging from $40 to $60 and polos between $80 and $110, depending on the brand.
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Trump’s White Wale
While Trump’s influence in golf is showing no signs of slowing down, one major conquest remains: hosting the Open Championship.
There is still no timetable for Trump Turnberry in Scotland to host another Open Championship, which the course last did in 2009—five years before it was purchased for $60 million by the Trump Organization. R&A CEO Mark Darbon said last month that there has been “good discussion” with Turnberry officials, but it’s still undecided whether or when the club could host another Open. The next available date to host would be 2029.
Meanwhile, Trump has been less vocal about potential efforts to help the PGA Tour and LIV Golf broker any sort of deal. Shortly before Trump was re-elected in 2024, he said he could get a deal done between the PGA Tour and the Saudi PIF in “the better part of 15 minutes.” He hosted PGA Tour and PIF officials at the White House in 2025. The PIF is ending its funding of LIV later this month.
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