Trump National in Bedminster has been stripped of next year’s US PGA Championship after organisers said using the course would be “detrimental” to their brand.
The PGA of America has voted to move one of golf’s four major championships away from the course in New Jersey, less then a week after supporters of the US President staged a riot at the US Capitol.
Jim Richerson, the PGA of America president, did not explicitly reference events in Washington DC in a statement announcing the move.
“Our board has thus made the decision to exercise our right to terminate the contract to hold the 2022 PGA Championship at Trump Bedminster.”
In response to the announcement, the Trump Organisation said in a statement: “We have had a beautiful partnership with the PGA of America and are incredibly disappointed with their decision.
“The PGA of America Board of Directors voted tonight to exercise the right to terminate the agreement to play the 2022 PGA Championship at Trump Bedminster.” — Jim Richerson, PGA of America President
— PGA of America (@PGA) January 11, 2021
“This is a breach of a binding contract and they have no right to terminate the agreement.
“As an organisation we have invested many, many millions of dollars in the 2022 PGA Championship at Trump National Golf Club, Bedminster.”
It is the second time in six years the PGA has moved an event away from a course owned by Donald Trump.
The 2015 Grand Slam of Golf was due to be held at the Trump National in Los Angeles but was cancelled after Mr Trump, then a candidate, made controversial remarks about Mexican immigrants.
The Ayrshire course last held the Open in 2009, when Stewart Cink defeated Tom Watson in a play-off.
Speaking in 2017, R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said Turnberry remained on the Open rota.
“I think it’s very important that we’re clear about what our business is,
which is making sure that the Open Championship is one of the world’s greatest sporting events, and staying out of politics,” Slumbers said.
“We’re all learning as we go through this. But I think it’s important for us that we understand where the game is and make sure we keep to that without ignoring all the other factors that go around it.”
Slumbers said he believed President Trump had been “good for golf” in terms of the renovation of a number of his courses and that he would accept an invite to play golf with him, as the likes of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy have done.
In February last year, Slumbers said infrastructure was “one of the key issues we need to solve at Turnberry”, adding: “I am sure it will stage an Open there in the not-too-distant future.”
