Donald Trump's banishment from professional golf 's established tours looks set to be over amid talks to host a Legends Event at his course in Aberdeenshire.
Controversial former US President Trump 's courses have been absent from the PGA Tour and DP World Tour calendar in recent times, and this year's PGA Championship was stripped from Trump Bedminster after the Capitol riots on January 6.
But exiled Trump could make a surprise return to golfing prominence on a traditional main tour in a move that no doubt conflicts with his allegiance to the rival Saudi-backed LIV Golf series. The Telegraph reports a deal to take a Legends Tour event to Trump International Links in Aberdeenshire is close to being signed.
Trump's proposed new relationship with the over 50's Legends Tour circuit is particularly surprising given its affiliations with the DP World Tour. The Legends Tour, comprising of storied veterans such as Colin Montgomerie and Darren Clarke, falls under the umbrella of the DP World Tour and is a venture backed by its chief Keith Pelley.
Pelley had moved to block LIV rebels from switching to compete in his events, but the DP World Tour ban was lifted after an appeal and a final court ruling is set to be made in February. But a deal is now in place for LIV advocate Trump to host an event under Pelley's remit, that will no doubt attract headlines towards the formerly-known European Seniors Tour.
In July, Trump's Bedminster course hosted the third LIV Golf Invitational event and the 76-year-old has thrown his full weight of support behind Greg Norman's breakaway series, despite the abhorrent human rights record linked to its financial backers in Saudi-Arabia.
Trump has firmly sided with LIV in golf's fierce ongoing civil war, describing the breakaway as a 'great thing' for the Gulf State and encouraging PGA Tour players to defect to the rebel series.
But negotiations to host a Legends Tour event next year, which would be televised on Sky Sports, point to an end date in his blacklisting from LIV's rival tours. Meanwhile, keen golfer Trump is set to take part in the pro-am as LIV's inaugural season concludes at his Doral resort in Miami this weekend.
The team event finale has a mammoth £44m prize fund and will be played out on his Blue Monster course. CEO Norman will be hoping for a dramatic end to the maiden year of his breakaway tour, that has caused a deep divide in golf and torn up the sport's status quo.
