FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — U.S. President Donald Trump arrived at Bethpage Black at 12:06 p.m. ET on the opening day of the Ryder Cup to cheer on the United States team led by captain Keegan Bradley in its battle against Europe.

The president arrived with his eldest grandchild, Kai Trump, between the first and second sessions and the U.S. already have dug a hole. Air Force One flew over Bethpage Black just after the Europeans had clinched the first three matches.

"We just had the president fly over head in his Air Force One," U.S. captain Keegan Bradley said. "I've got a feeling things are going to turn here."

Trump's friend and big supporter, Bryson DeChambeau, who was paired with Tequesta's Justin Thomas, played Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton.

DeChambeau attended Trump's victory party at the Palm Beach Convention Center the night of the presidential election in November 2024 and he was called to the stage.

"I hope he will inspire us to victory," DeChambeau said the day before the Ryder Cup started. "I think he'll be a great force for us to get a lot of people on our side. I think it will be interesting and exciting to see how the crowd and everybody reacts.

"It's going to be an electric environment."

Europe's Robert MacIntyre was playing his foursomes match with Jupiter's Viktor Hovland when the president arrived. MacIntyre, though, was not impressed.

When asked about Trump attending on Day 1, MacIntyre, from Scotland, said, "It's just another spectator."

The gates opened at 5 a.m., with enhanced security measures in place for the day, including TSA style screening when people leave the area around the clubhouse, first tee and 18th green.

Trump was invited to the event by the PGA of America, the governing body of the U.S. Ryder Cup team. Early on, he hinted he would arrived for the spectacle that is the first tee shot, which occurred at 7:10 a.m.

And rumors started circulating that Trump may arrive early enough to walk through the tunnel with DeChambeau and watch his first tee shot.

But Trump reportedly was asked to delay his arrival after he attended the Sept. 7 U.S. Open men's tennis singles final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner at Arthur Ashe Stadium and chaos ensued.

With strict security measures in place for the biggest tennis event in this country, the match was delayed by about 40 minutes and there were several thousand empty seats when play started with thousands of fans still in line to enter the stadium.

The Ryder Cup was expected to draw at least 50,000 fans per day, more than twice the crowd for the Alcaraz-Sinner final.

Donald Trump loves attending sports events

Trump can add the Ryder Cup to his list of sporting events he has attended, some briefly, since taking office on Jan. 20. That list includes the Super Bowl, Daytona 500, a UFC event, the tennis U.S. Open and a Yankees game on Sept. 11 on the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

With the college football championship game being played the night he was sworn in, Trump sent a pre-taped video message.

But golf is his passion. According to the Trump golf tracker, he has played 60 times since returning to office, about 25 percent of his presidency. He had dinner with members of the LIV Golf tour before their event at his course in Doral and he met twice with leaders of the PGA Tour and LIV Golf attempting to bring the rival tours together. The leagues, though, remain as far apart as ever.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Donald Trump arrives at Ryder Cup Friday as U.S., Europe battle at Bethpage

Reporting by Tom D'Angelo, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post

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