Trump, Netanyahu, Gaza, and the Ryder Cup.

If Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had ever taken up golf—or at least shown an interest in the game—he might have joined Donald Trump this weekend at the prestigious Ryder Cup, the high-profile golf tournament pitting the United States against Europe.

When Netanyahu concluded his UN General Assembly speech without mentioning Trump’s proposed plan to end the Gaza war, President Trump made sure to tell dozens of reporters on his way to the tournament in Long Island: “Looks like we’re going to have a deal in Gaza.”

This year’s event is being held at the Black Course of Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, New York. The Ryder Cup 2025, the most prestigious team competition in golf, brings together the best players from Europe and the U.S. It generates billions of dollars in revenue, exclusive merchandise, global media coverage, and endless publicity.

NBA legend Michael Jordan, himself an accomplished golfer, has also drawn attention at the tournament. Jordan is well acquainted with both teams and remains a symbol of the crossover between sports, celebrity, and business.

In 2025, every stroke at the Ryder Cup is being tracked by Google’s AI platform Gemini Outcome IQ. The system interprets live shot data combined with historical performance, course details, and pairings to generate probabilities and insights in real time. Fans and commentators can access these analytics instantly—adding depth to every shot, hole, and match.

I began playing golf in the 1990s, having seen its importance in business networking—especially in the U.S. and Japan, but also in Europe and Asia. I quickly learned that partners on the course judge one’s character even more than one’s skill. Golf makes it easy to try to cheat—and colleagues carry their impressions from the fairways straight into the boardroom.

Donald Trump is perhaps the most notable golfer among modern U.S. presidents. Since Dwight D. Eisenhower, nearly every American president has played. Trump and his family also own golf courses around the world, where the sport intersects with hotels, conferences, tourism, and high-profile media events.

According to the press, Trump is expected back at the White House later in the afternoon. For now, he is impressed with Europe’s early performance, though the momentum may shift over the coming two days.

Back in 2012, I wrote in the Times of Israel about Netanyahu’s strained relationship with President Obama, suggesting that an interest in golf might have helped bridge the gap. This year, Netanyahu may well regret not having invested in the game—knowledge and shared interest that could have earned him extra hours with Trump, potentially influencing crucial decisions that will likely be determined within days.

Photo: President Donald Trump waves to the crowd on the first tee as his granddaughter Kai Madison Trump looks on at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black Golf Course in Farmingdale, New York, Sept. 26, 2025. (Imagn Images via Reuters/Peter .