Former US president Donald Trump has announced he will dedicate his new golf course to his Scots-born mum.
The 45th president made the announcement after touching down at Aberdeen Airport on Monday morning with his son Eric, where he was met by two pipers, a red carpet and a 10-vehicle motorcade.
Trump is in Scotland to cut the ribbon on a second golf course at the Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire after the controversial development was given the go-head in October 2020, despite an outcry from residents.
He announced that work on his new MacLeod course – dedicated to his mother, Mary Anne MacLeod – was now beginning. Mary was born on the Isle of Lewis in the Western Isles before emigrating to the US.
Trump broke ground on the new course at Trump International Scotland in Aberdeenshire, cutting a ceremonial red ribbon to mark the occasion.
He said: “We are going to build a great golf course that aims to replicate the outstanding championship links we already have here and many believe to be the greatest golf course in the world.
“We will build a course that will be fit to host many great championships in the future along with our championship links. We’ve had a lot of pleasure in working on this land and there is no other land like it. We have incredible views by the sea and there are no other dunes like these in the world. It will be a great success.
“This project is very close to my heart and I am delighted to say that this is our first day of work on the new course It will be dedicated to my late mother and that is a source of great pride to me and my family. My mother was an incredible woman who loved Scotland. She returned here every year and she loved The Queen. I got to know The Queen too during my visits here. I love Scotland just as much.”
Eric Trump, Executive Vice President of the Trump Organisation, said: “We’re extremely excited to be breaking ground on another world-class links course in Aberdeenshire
“We own and operate the best courses on earth and this new course at Trump International, Scotland has the potential to top them all and reaffirm its place as a top world ranking golf destination.
Dr Martin Hawtree, - who designed the initial championship links at the Menie Estate - was commissioned to design the MacLeod course. Dr Hawtree is a renowned international course designer.
Aberdeenshire Council approved the new course in late 2020. The new course will be built to the south and west of the existing championship course.
Sarah Malone, executive vice-president of Trump International Scotland, said: “We are delighted that President Trump and Eric Trump have today marked the start of work on The MacLeod Course which will be built to the highest specifications and standards to complement our award-winning championship links. This initial phase of work included enabling works and other ground surveys.”
Following his time in Scotland, Trump will head to his golf course in Doonbeg on Ireland’s west coast.
But the trip has been overshadowed by legal trouble he is facing in his native New York over business practices. The tycoon has pleaded not guilty to charges of falsifying business records to hide damaging information ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
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