Golf star Dustin Johnson recently teed off with President-elect Donald Trump at the opulent Trump International Golf Club in Palm Beach, Florida. With his brother and caddie, Austin, by his side, this high-profile round of golf highlights Trump's enduring sway within LIV Golf amid swirling speculation of a potential merger with the PGA Tour.
An Instagram post by Austin showcased the pair on the green Wednesday afternoon, complemented by a clip of Trump executing a perfect drive to the cheers of the Johnson brothers.
Trump's ties to LIV Golf were further solidified during his recent rendezvous with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, chairman of LIV Golf and governor of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, at UFC 309 in New York. This meeting is fuelling conjecture that Trump could play a pivotal role in brokering peace between the warring golf giants, PGA and LIV.
In another development, Rory McIlroy has placed his faith in Trump's ability to hasten the merger, especially with the support of billionaire Elon Musk. Following Trump's win over Kamala Harris, McIlroy shared his hopeful stance: "He might be able to. He's got Elon Musk, who I think is the smartest man in the world, beside him. We might be able to do something if we can get Musk involved, too.
"Yeah, I think from the outside looking in, it's probably a little less complicated than it actually is," he added. "But obviously, Trump has a great relationship with Saudi Arabia. He's got a great relationship with golf. He's a lover of golf. So, maybe. Who knows?"
Trump's ties with Saudi Arabia were notably strong during his presidency, often defending the Crown Prince amidst global criticism. The former President, known for his love of golf and owning prestigious courses like Trump National Golf Club Bedminster and Trump National Doral, which host LIV Golf events, saw his team 4Aces finish eighth at the recent LIV Miami tournament.
Speaking on the historic merger between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf announced in June 2023, Trump confidently stated on the Let's Go Podcast that finalising such deals would be a breeze for him, claiming it shouldn't take him "more than about 15 minutes" to conclude them. "I do think [the deal] will come together. I could certainly help it," Trump asserted on the podcast.
"I would say it would take me the better part of 15 minutes to get that deal done."
