Majors are the holy grail of golf! The greatest, the mightiest. One of the factors adding to the greatness of majors is the tough playing conditions, or courses. One of the hardest courses, undoubtedly, is the Augusta. Just last year, ANGC exhausted the players. “I’ve never seen it like this,” Shane Lowry said. “That was probably the toughest two days of golf that I’ve played.” Christo Lamprecht called it the toughest back nine of his life. Jon Rahm said it was “borderline,” that they even continued playing. Erik Van Rooyen said, “I am tired. I feel like I got hit by a train just now.” Ryan Fox was just “knackered now.” José María Olazábal shared his brutally honest take, “I don’t think it gets any tougher than this, to be honest.” You get the gist, right? You do, but not Patrick Reed. For him, there is another course comparable to it.

Reed, who has 13 professional wins, including 9 at the PGA Tour and a Green Jacket in 2018, compared Trump National Doral with Augusta. During the post-round press conference, he was asked about how comfortable he had felt during the first round. Answering to which Reed shared, “That’s the thing I’ve realized in golf is when you try to force it, it never happens, never works.” Well, this is something that the golf community has witnessed multiple times.

The pressure of performance leads to the collapse. Take the example of the 1996 Masters, where Greg Norman was leading by 6 strokes to Nick Faldo. But Norman’s performance on the last day saw a drop, resulting in the giving away of the sure-shot victory to Faldo. Further sharing, Reed then praised the course for its unique difficulties and how it resembles. He said, “This is one of those places that if you get aggressive and you try to take stuff on that — and you try to push it too hard, you can make big numbers in a hurry. This is one of those places, kind of like Augusta, you have to kind of let it go, play smart, and just let the rounds come to you.” 

We’re sure you know, but just reminding: Winning the Masters marks a pinnacle in a golfer’s career. The event, which began in 1934, has until now only 54 winners, out of which 18 have won multiple times. So, can Augusta really be compared to any other course?

The Trump National Doral course was inaugurated in 1962 and was later bought by Donald Trump in 2012. The course has hosted many events in the past, including the WGC-Cadillac Championship, the Doral Open, and currently, LIV Golf Miami. Even for Bryson DeChambeau, it is one of the most challenging golf courses, which brings out the best in the players. When asked about what is special about Trump’s Miami course, he said, “I believe it’s one of the most challenging golf courses in professional golf, so the cream usually rises to the top. The person that’s in control of their golf ball is going to be rewarded. The person that’s not, that barely misses it and gets away with it and gets it on the green and makes birdie, that’s not really going to happen out here, so you have to be playing your absolute best, and you can’t miss a shot. That’s why the best come out.”

Not only this, but the 2x US Open winner also mentioned that this course is a good stage and a “great challenge for next week. It’s good prep work.” Last year, DeChambeau finished the Masters tied at T6, so he must be looking forward to winning it this year. The strong comparison remark from Reed  and DeChambeau wouldn’t be agreed upon by many but that’s a topic of discussion and personal preference.

But the fact is, Reed and DeChambeau are not the only ones keeping the course and event a priority, as Donald Trump has also made the headlines for his decision to attend the luxury dinners in Florida.

Donald Trump at Trump National Doral for LIV Golf Miami

The 47th POTUS has made it to the headlines for his attendance at the dinner of LIV Golf. The president has been active with his contribution to the golf world, including the merger talks. However, his prioritizing dinner over the dignified transfer of four US Army soldiers at Dover Air Force Base drew ire.

As per the schedule, Trump left Washington at 2 PM on Thursday, April 3, for the Trump National Doral. Following the dinner, he stayed overnight at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach and hosted a $1 million-per-head “MAGA Inc.” fundraising dinner. However, in Trump’s stead, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attended the dignified transfer in Dover.

After the first round of the Miami event, Reed is currently in the lead with his 5-under score, having 7 birdies and a double bogey, and DeChambeau is tied for T2, thanks to his 4 birdies. Do you think them playing at an Augusta-level course will set them up for a good weekend in Georgia?