Ryder Cup Team USA stars suck up to President Donald Trump after dismal foursomes start

Donald Trump was the centre of attention as he made a grand entrance at the Ryder Cup on Friday. And Keegan Bradley and his American team didn't hesitate to treat him like royalty.

Captain Bradley led the way, performing the 'Trump dance' and bowing down as he emerged from the tunnel and walked past the protective glass box housing the president. US Open champion JJ Spaun and Scottie Scheffler followed suit, leading Team USA out in the opening match of Friday's fourballs. While Scheffler was more reserved, offering a fist pump in Trump's direction, US Open winner Spaun followed his captain's lead and performed his own rendition of Trump's signature dance.

The president made an appearance at Bethpage Black after the Americans suffered a major loss in the Friday morning foursomes, trailing 3-1 to Luke Donald's Europe. The New York crowd gave Trump a warm welcome as he was introduced to the stadium seating surrounding the first tee and 18th green at Bethpage, before being escorted to the glass box for the national anthem and an F-18 fighter jet flyover.

The 79-year-old stood alongside his 18-year-old granddaughter, Kai, who is set to play collegiate golf at the University of Miami in 2026. While Scheffler and Spaun were eager to impress the president, Europe's Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka took a very different approach.

They completely disregarded the commander-in-chief as they strolled past his area towards the tee. After staying within the security of the opening group, Trump emerged to welcome Bryson DeChambeau and his playing partner Ben Griffin.

The President then had a cordial conversation with Bradley before exchanging handshakes with Donald. Trump remained at the rear of the tee box, occasionally facing the crowd to encourage louder support for the home team, and he was greeted with passionate chants of "USA!" in return.

Exchanges between other players and the President were more understated. Patrick Cantlay acknowledged him with a gesture, while Rory McIlroy provided a subtle wave and a thumbs-up.

Before heading to Long Island on Air Force One, Trump told reporters: "The team is not doing so well. I heard that, so I said, 'Let's get on the plane; we have to try and help them.'"

Following a poor performance in the opening session, Bradley remained optimistic that the President's arrival would spark a revival for the home team. He said: "It's not exactly what we wanted, but we know the Ryder Cup is going to be ebbs and flows, and I've got a lot of faith in our boys. We just had the President fly over in his Air Force One, so I've got a feeling things are going to turn here."

Trump was evidently a hit with a significant part of the crowd at Bethpage Black, and many golf enthusiasts will view his backing of the tournament as an extraordinary gesture. However, fans on this side of the pond may perceive Bradley and some of his players' adulation of the President as a touch too much.