Donald Trump swooped into Loudoun County on Thursday to close on his purchase of Lowes Island Golf Club … er, make that “Trump National Golf Club, Washington, D.C.”
Showing up in a black stretch limo (of course), The Donald took a cart around his newest acquisition before sitting down to a lunchtime press conference at which he immediately threw down the gauntlet at the area’s most storied country club.
“Congressional [Country Club, where Tiger Woods hosts his annual event] doesn’t compare to this as a golf course,” said Trump. “If you come back here in a year, there won’t be anything that will be able to compete with it” in the area. He’s hired famous course architect Tom Fazio to redesign the 36 holes and he plans extensive renovations to the clubhouse. “Unless I can top something, I don’t have any interest,” he said, in all sincerity.
Why the D.C. area? He had two reasons, he said. First, was his son, Eric, a Georgetown grad, who turned him on to the property. About six months ago, Trump said, Eric showed him a Google photo, and he asked what river that was running along the courses.
“The Potomac,” replied Eric.
“I said, ‘That’s impossible,'” Trump recalled, marveling at the 2 1/2 miles of riverfront.
The second factor was the location. “Washington entered into my decision-making process,” he said. “Washington is hot. They own the banks, they own the car companies, they own everything.”
“I would like for the president to come out and play,” Trump said, adding that he’s a “big fan of his.”
Would he like to have a professional tournament eventually come to the course? He said he doesn’t seek them out, but rather, “tournaments come to me.”
So might he film an episode of “The Apprentice” right in nearby Loudoun County? “Something like that could happen,” he told Yeas & Nays.
Trump: The Water
Photos: Jeff Dufour
