Donald Trump to visit Women’s British Open at his Turnberry Resort
Donald Trump couldn’t help himself.
The 2016 presidential candidate will leave the campaign trail and head to Scotland for a two-day visit at his Turnberry resort, which hosts the Ricoh Women’s British Open starting Thursday.
“I own Turnberry, in Scotland, one of great resorts in world,” Trump tweeted. “Women’s British Open there this week. I’ll go for two days & back on trail.”
Just great.
Trump’s appearance, complete with a self-indulgent news conference on Thursday, takes away from the start of the LPGA’s fourth major of the year. Instead, it brings into view Trump, who outraged golf’s governing bodies with an assertion that the sport supports his position concerning Mexican immigrants. LPGA commissioner Mike Whan added that he would have preferred to move this championship from Trump’s property, but the timing of Trump’s comments made that impossible. In response, Trump wrote an open letter to Whan, saying he would let the LPGA out of a contract (it actually doesn’t have) with his company to put on the Women’s British at Turnberry.
Reaction to Trump and his forthcoming visit were mixed.
”It really distracts us from the great tournament that we have this week,” said Michelle Wie.
Lizette Salas, the child of Mexican immigrants, said Trump’s comments were wrong.
“Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion, but, his words, a lot of people listen to him and hear him because he’s a big name,” Salas said, according to the Telegraph. “I’m proud of my heritage, proud of where I come from, not ashamed of being born of Mexican immigrants.”
Karrie Webb seems to represent the opinion of most players, hoping that Trump will quickly step aside to let the historic venue, which will undergo a renovation starting in late September, and the tournament shine.
“We are playing such a great historical venue,” Webb said, according to Golfweek. “I really just think that’s the focus of the week.”
Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.
