Newsday’s Eric Boland had the misfortune of attending a press conference yesterday for the (Donald) Trump Million Dollar Invitational.
A committee, which includes Trump, will select 100 “elite” golfers, who apply on line at www.trumpmilliondollar.com. Those players will put up an entry fee of $15,000 and compete in a 54-hole stroke-play event. The lowest 10 scorers will advance to the Grand Prize Match, a nine-hole playoff format with the winner handed a $1-million dollar check by Trump. The runner-up receives $150,000; the 10th place finisher collects $20,000. The tournament is open to any professional or amateur, male or female, not a member of any professional tour. ESPN will televise the event July 2
Asked if this made-for-television event spawned from the ratings success of “The Apprentice,” Trump was, well, Trump.
“Basically the big thing has been the tremendous success of ‘The Apprentice,'” Trump said. “Some of your brethren in the field of sports like [Mavericks owner] Mark Cuban tried to do a copy of ‘The Apprentice’ and he went down in ashes, as you know. You know how many watched? How about, like, nobody . . . so it [The Apprentice] has been a real success. And I think probably that’s why ESPN is going to get such good ratings.”