Trump takes a back seat – on the way out of top level golf?

The surprise was not that Donald Trump came to D oral for the final day of the Cadillac WGC but that it was so low key.

By his standards, at least. Trump certainly has bigger fish to fry right now but he was almost a shrinking violet.

A visit to the range to speak to a puzzled Rory McIlroy, interviews with NBC and Sky speaking to the same script, and a huddle for the hacks.

And that was it. After being very visible presenting the trophy in the last two years, he slunk in the background this time and exited by his helicopter before the trophy pictures were done.

Is he showing some restraint? Or do the governing bodies not “love” him as much as he said they did in his interviews?

It still seems likely that this event will not be at Doral next year, and certain that Cadillac will not sponsor it. Trump seemed to think this had more to do with the PGA Tour than him, but I don’t see blue chip sponsors running away from the Tour anywhere else on the schedule.

His claim that the European Tour want to take the Irish Open to his property at Doonbeg is as spurious as his previous claim they wanted his Menie course near Aberdeen as a permanent host for the Scottish Open.

The governing bodies are being quietly cautious, as usual. But they’re visibly backing off this unwelcome distraction.