DORAL, Fla. — Donald Trump finally ran into something that kept him off the golf course.
The man who played more than 250 rounds of golf during his presidency, and had not missed a pro-am prior to an LIV Golf event at one of his properties, was a no-show Thursday at Trump National Doral, the site of the final LIV event of the season.
Running a country was not as time-consuming as trying to defend oneself against four criminal cases totaling 91 felony counts.
The Blue Monster was relatively quiet Thursday as 48 LIV golfers and 105 amateurs participated in the pro-am. The scene was a contrast from every other pro-am on a Trump course during the first two years of LIV, where the former president showed his golf skills — “For some reason, I am just a good golfer/athlete,” he boasted this year on social media — that has allowed him to win “many” club championships, some of which may have been legitimate.
Trump denied friends and families of Wednesday’s participants the chance to witness the skills that allowed him to shoot a 67 at his course in Bedminster, New Jersey, in August, and magically capture the two-day Senior Club Championship at his course in West Palm Beach, without playing the first day.
This was possible, he said, because “you need strength and stamina to WIN, & I have strength & stamina – most others don’t.”
And we thought Trump’s greatest skill was inflating numbers.
But just because Trump wasn’t around Thursday to beg Greg Norman to stop his stroke count at 67 doesn’t mean his presence did not loom large on the resort he bought in 2012 for $150 million and now claims is worth $1.3 billion.
The Trump crest is prominent everywhere from the signage to the trash can liners. A large portrait of Trump looms in the Golf Shop surrounded by framed covers of magazines bearing his image, some we assume are authentic.
The gift shop sells everything from Trump shirts, pullovers, hats and mugs to Trump purses, teddy bears, chocolates and key rings.
And all kinds of books about Trump’s accomplishments, which means you will not find the book about Trump’s dubious claims on a golf course: “Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump.”
Is LIV backing away from Trump?
During a break in his civil fraud trial in New York on Wednesday, Trump told reporters he had a “very big professional golf tournament at Doral” to attend so he probably would not be returning to the courtroom.
While his private jet was spotted parked at Palm Beach International Airport Thursday, he never finished the journey to Doral, at least not for the pro-am.
Either Trump apparently did not want to answer more questions about causing an insurrection, mishandling secret documents, interfering in an election or sending hush money to a porn star.
Or perhaps it was the embarrassment of LIV Golf apparently backing away from Trump properties next season. Trump has endorsed LIV, mostly because of his disdain for the PGA Tour, and accurately predicted a year ago that the league would force a merger with the tour. And LIV has given Trump a platform (and a lot of money) to boast about his game and courses while surrounded by fans wearing “MAGA” and “TRUMP” and “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN” hats each time it held an event at his properties.
“I hit it straight, I hit good drives, I hit good irons,” Trump said about his game a year ago after playing nine holes with Jupiter’s Brooks Koepka and nine with Sergio Garcia.
Trump, though, has yet to address the apparent split that was revealed when SI.com obtained a preliminary copy of LIV’s 2024 schedule, one that did not include any events at one of Trump’s courses. LIV officials are saying that the schedule is not finalized.
In two seasons, LIV has held five tournaments at Trump properties, two each at Doral and Bedminster and one in Virginia outside Washington, D.C.
But 2024 promises to be eventful for Trump, more so off the golf course.
LIV Golf may just decide to step away from that circus.