President Donald Trump appears to have plans in place to attend some of the 2017 US Women's Open, which will be played July 13-16 at his Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J.
According to a notice posted July 10 by the Federal Aviation Administration (via the Palm Beach Post), Trump could be heading up to his New Jersey club on Friday, returning back to the D.C. area on Sunday. The FAA notice indicates a Temporary Flight Restriction over the Bedminster Township, meaning aircraft cannot get within a 10 nautical-mile circle around the area, and specific aircraft will be limited to a 30 nautical-mile circle around the area.
The FAA and Department of Defense will be scanning the area, and the notice is intended to prevent unnecessary problems.
The U.S. Golf Association, which presents the championship, does not know if the President plans to attend.
Trump was speculated to appear at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship over Memorial Day weekend at his Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Va. However, the President ultimately chose to skip out on the event.
Several LPGA players have spoken out on the issue of the controversial host and club. Many are fine with the course, which has hosted USGA events in the past, including the 2009 U.S. Junior Amateur championships for boys and girls. However, a number of players have expressed concern about Trump -- and the undoubted political protests that will follow him -- showing up in a way that might take away from the biggest championship in women's golf.
"Hopefully, maybe he doesn't show up and it won't be a big debacle and it will be about us and not him," said two-time major winner Brittany Lincicome to the Chicago Tribune at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship. "It would be so impossible, even if we wanted to boycott it. I mean, the purse is so big, I don't think anybody would. … We don't get to play for that much money that often."
So far as President, Trump has made 37 different visits to his golf courses, spending 51 days at Trump-owned or -managed properties. However, with one known exception, it is thought Trump has played a full round of golf during each of those visits, lasting generally in the 4-5 hour range.
