President Trump, stay away from U.S. Women's Open this weekend

[yallerdawg]

Source: USA Today Sports. by Christine Brennan

Word is Donald Trump is planning to come to his New Jersey golf course over the weekend. There’s nothing new about that; he has been here three times since becoming president in January, including a recent visit in which he was videotaped driving a golf cart on one of the greens, a serious faux pas that you don't see every day.

But this time is different. There’s a tournament going on at Trump National this week. It’s a big one, the crown jewel of women’s golf: the 2017 U.S. Women’s Open.

If Trump shows up, he will overwhelm the event. He won’t be a story. He will be THE story. He will steal the spotlight from the golfers who deserve it, women who receive a fraction of the attention, and the pay, of their male counterparts.

*****

If you show up, Mr. President, you become the ultimate distraction. Cameras that would be focused on the golfers will turn toward you. Crowds will swell to get a glimpse of you, the ultimate leader in the clubhouse, not the leaders on the course. Protesters who have been massing on social media will be thrilled to give you their opinions in person.

*****

Read it all at: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/brennan/2017/07/12/president-trump-stay-away-u-s-womens-open-weekend/473666001/

AND:

Time for women golfers to stand up and speak out

*****

What’s going on? It’s impossible for LPGA players to say this publicly, but they know they are second-class citizens in what still is an overwhelmingly male-dominated sport. Actually, second-class might be putting too positive a spin on it. They really might be third-class, following the men’s PGA Tour and the senior men’s Champions Tour — just happy to accept any table scraps the guys leave behind.

*****

Then there’s the pay disparity between what the men and the women make from the U.S. Golf Association. Last month’s men’s U.S. Open purse was $12 million, with $2.16 million going to the winner, Brooks Koepka. This week, the women are playing for a purse of $5 million, with $900,000 going to the winner.

That’s the largest purse in the history of women’s golf, but it’s not even half of what the men make.

If you’re tempted to say that’s just how it goes in sports, consider this: the U.S. Tennis Association started paying the women the same amount of money as the men at the 1973 U.S. Open, nearly 44 years ago.



Eric Trump is already there.

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[Panich52]

1. Difficult for me to comprehend why so many watch a

sport that's so clearly a non-spectator activity. It's also tough to understand why LPGA would hold an event at a Trump venue. They've had ample time since primaries to avoid openly misogynist-owned facilities.

[yallerdawg]

4. This contract was signed 5 years ago, before campaign and 'Access Hollywood.'

The story is reported when the USGA wanted to change the venue, Trump threatened to sue.

The women will just have to hold up to one more indignity. They can bear it.

To paraphrase Mark Twain: Golf with Trump around "is a pleasant walk ruined."

[Panich52]

7. Oh. Damn.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. Of course he'll be there.

"If Trump shows up, he will overwhelm the event. He won’t be a story. He will be THE story. He will steal the spotlight from the golfers who deserve it, women who receive a fraction of the attention, and the pay, of their male counterparts." Isn't that the point of everything he does - to be THE story and steal the spotlight?

[FM123]

3. How about just..

"President Trump, stay away from U.S. women."
Full stop.

[Princess Turandot]

5. FYI The FAA has him arriving in Bedminster after 2:45PM, following arrival at Newark...

between 2PM and 3:15PM on Friday. (The 6 hour time difference between Paris and New Jersey turns an ~8h flight into a 2 hour local clock time lapse.)

They have to post the details of his travel because it closes air space in the location, and can gain an offending private plane an up-close look at a fighter jet outside their window. They posted this notice on Tuesday.

[yallerdawg]

6. "Protesters who have been massing on social media...

will be thrilled to give you their opinions in person."