It’s not often that the game of golf shows up in the pages of RedState, but there have been relevant stories involving the “good walk spoiled” from time to time. In fact, just last month, my colleague Nick Arama recounted the head-shaking incident involving COVID that caused a player who was poised to take a top PGA tournament to have to bow out early.

We also brought readers the news just days before the 2020 election of President Donald Trump garnering the endorsement by no less than “The Golden Bear” himself, golf legend Jack Nicklaus.

Today’s story broaches the current topic of the 149th The Open Championship (which most people likely remember as The British Open) being played at Royal St George’s Golf Club in Sandwich, England, this weekend through Sunday — the first time it’s been held since before the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic; organizers scrapped the event in 2020. But now, they have received a tongue-lashing from the former president and current golf resort owner.

And when it involves the 45th President of the United States, there’s always something more in the mix. He doesn’t disappoint this time, either. As readers know, when Trump feels strongly about an issue, he’s not shy about letting the world know about it. He put out this statement Saturday.

NEW!

"I have spent some time watching The Open Championship (formerly known as The British Open), and it is terrific! But as almost all of the great players, sportscasters, and golf aficionados know, the greatest site and course of all for The Open is Turnberry, in Scotland." pic.twitter.com/YizHl97Bgn

— Liz Harrington (@realLizUSA) July 17, 2021

Under his post-presidency seal and today’s date is the “Statement by Donald J. Trump, 45th President of the United States of America.” He begins with praise for the tournament itself, writing:

I have spent some time watching The Open Championship (formerly known as The British Open), and it is terrific!

But the tone very quickly changes, as Trump mentions his own championship-level golf course in Scotland, Turnberry, which has previously hosted four Open championships:

But as almost all of the great players, sportscasters, and golf aficionados know, the greatest site and course of all for The Open is Turnberry, in Scotland. It is truly a magical place, the players want to be there.

He doesn’t mince words on why Turnberry has been overlooked:

But this course was not chosen for The Open because they consider this wonderful person, and many-time Club Champion, named Donald J. Trump, to be too controversial — this is, of course, a false reputation caused mainly by the Fake News Media. Remember though, controversy only makes things “hotter.”

Then he turned to an example of greatness connected to his course, the “Duel In The Sun” finale of the then-British Open in 1977 between Nicklaus and future great Tom Watson:

In any event, Turnberry is also the course where the greatest match of all time was played, nicknamed “The Dual (sic) in the Sun,” which boiled down to an Open between the great Jack Nicklaus and the great Tom Watson.

He continues with a proud, picturesque description of Turnberry:

Turnberry is on the ocean with the most spectacular holes, sightlines, shots, and seaside views of any course in the World. It is a shame that the phenomenal Turnberry Golf links, the best in the World, sits empty during Open Championships, while far lesser courses are on display.

Trump, as usual, brushes it off, and ends with a hopeful note:

Oh well, life proceeds forward! Someday The Open will be back at Turnberry.

He possibly has a point about the organizers overlooking Turnberry because of the way the legacy media has trashed him for more than five years (or longer). If anyone lives rent free in their heads, it’s Trump. But some of this could just as well be him taking the opportunity of the Open Championship to get free promotion of his property. As he put it, “controversy only makes things ‘hotter.'” And he is a business owner, after all, in the hospitality industry — which has been hard hit by the pandemic worldwide. I wouldn’t blame him one bit.

With @TheOpen underway, we're taking a look back at the iconic 'Duel in the Sun' of the 1977 Open at @TrumpTurnberry, four-time host of this prestigious major championship. pic.twitter.com/N5qbv53Yxu

— Trump Golf (@TrumpGolf) July 15, 2021