WASHINGTON, D.C.– In a move that has sent shockwaves through the worlds of both politics and professional golf, former President Donald Trump announced today the appointment of professional golfer and LIV Golf star Bryson DeChambeau to spearhead a special investigation into alleged “disparities and unfairness” surrounding the upcoming 2025 Ryder Cup.
The announcement, made via Truth Social, stated that DeChambeau will lead a “presidential commission” to examine the selection process, venue integrity, and potential bias against players affiliated with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour. The 2025 Ryder Cup is scheduled to be held at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in New Jersey, a course owned by the former president.
“The Ryder Cup is a great American tradition, but it has been taken over by elitist snobs at the PGA of America who are rigging the system against fantastic patriots and players like Bryson,” Trump’s statement read. “He knows better than anyone how crooked it is. He will get to the bottom of this total disgrace and make sure the 2025 Cup is the fairest and most spectacular ever held.”
The appointment immediately drew fierce criticism and widespread confusion. The Ryder Cup is governed by a joint entity of the PGA of America and Ryder Cup Europe, with team selections based on a combination of competitive points standings and captain’s picks. The current eligibility rules, established before the emergence of LIV Golf, require players to be members of the PGA of America, which currently excludes those who play full-time on the LIV circuit due to its conflicting tournament schedule and lack of Official World Golf Ranking points.
DeChambeau, the 2020 U.S. Open champion known for his analytical, physics-driven approach to the game, has been a vocal critic of his exclusion from the 2023 U.S. Ryder Cup team. He has repeatedly argued that the best American players, regardless of tour affiliation, should be eligible to compete.
“I am honored to accept this role from President Trump,” DeChambeau said in a brief video statement. “For the good of American golf and the fans, we must audit the entire process. The data doesn’t lie. We will conduct a full and factual analysis to ensure true competition is restored.”
Political and sports ethics experts were swift to condemn the move. “This is a nakedly political stunt that instrumentalizes a sporting event,” said Dr. Laura Simmons, a political science professor at Georgetown University. “It appears designed to generate controversy around an event at a Trump property, while applying pressure on a private sports organization to change its rules. The notion of a ‘presidential commission’ led by a private citizen with a direct personal interest in the outcome is without precedent or legal authority.”
Officials from the PGA of America and the Ryder Cup Task Force issued a terse joint statement: “The rules and governance of the Ryder Cup are well-established and are focused solely on fielding the best teams to represent the United States and Europe in the spirit of the competition. We are proceeding with our preparations for 2025 at Bedminster.”
The White House declined to comment, noting that the commission is a private initiative by a former president. The appointment has no official government standing.
The move ensures that the already-contentious integration of LIV Golf into the professional golf ecosystem will remain at the forefront of the sport’s discourse, now with an added layer of political theater. As the “DeChambeau Commission” begins its work, all eyes will be on how this unprecedented probe attempts to alter the landscape for the 2025 matches.
