Donald Trump had already been expected to command center stage this weekend at the LIV Golf event at his Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J.
He quickly set things in motion Friday by going right to the golfer who the day before had stirred up his own controversy.
One day after the former president pled not guilty (through his attorney) in Florida on charges involving misleading federal investigators looking for classified documents, Trump made the rounds at his course.
He immediately ran into Phil Mickelson.
The LIV Golf star became the talk of the sports world Thursday after prolific gambler Billy Walters alleged in his new book, Gambler: Secrets from a Life at Risk that Mickelson has bet more than $1 billion on sports events. Walters claimed Mickelson has lost close to $100 million, and also bet on a Ryder Cup in which he was playing.
Trump was tangentially involved in the story, as at the end of his term he commuted Walters’ prison sentence. The golfer has denied he requested Trump grant the clemency.
Trump reportedly walked right up to Mickelson on the driving range to say hello. The two men shook hands and Trump slapped the golf star on the shoulder before moving down the line to greet other players, including Brooks Koepka and Louis Oosthuizen.
Phil Mickelson, Donald Trump share handshake before Bedminster LIV tournament https://t.co/xiu76bitWR pic.twitter.com/Q237LIMnm4
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) August 11, 2023
Political and sports commentators have been speculating on the relationship between the two controversial figures.
Fitting
— Peter Toolan (@debraak) August 11, 2023
Very obvious dots that have long been unconnected by the golf media…
-Mickelson gets into gambling debt & engages in insider trading with Walters
-Walters takes a fall for PM
-Trump commutes Walters sentence
-Mickelson joins LIV/Saudis for $
-Trump backs/profits from LIV/Saudis— John Ziegler (@Zigmanfreud) August 10, 2023
It is astonishing that LIV golf, which is morally corrupt on multiple levels & which is clearly being used by Phil Mickelson to pay off gambling debts & for Donald Trump to be paid directly by the Saudi royals, is being portrayed by some “conservatives” as a crusade of principle! https://t.co/bFSDhcszdn
— John Ziegler (@Zigmanfreud) August 10, 2023
The people trying to salvage any likability of Phil Mickelson at this pt remind me of “Trump is a genius” people.
Narcissists aren’t that interesting. They lie. Reality isn’t important. Control over appearances are. It’s looney toons in their world, folks.
— Susan Ryan (@zuzanryan) August 11, 2023
