by fergie001: 1:04pm
Donald Trump’s National Golf Club course at Bedminster, New Jersey has been stripped of the 2022 Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Championship.
Jim Richerson, President of the PGA of America, made this known via a video shared on the Organisation’s site.
A Statement from the PGA of America on the 2022 PGA Championship
The PGA of America is nearly a 105-year-old Association with a perpetual mission to serve its member golf professionals and to grow the game.
Fulfilling that mission for all, enabling PGA professionals to do so today and in the future is of paramount importance to the PGA Board of Directors and our leaders.
It’s become clear that conducting the PGA Championship at Trump’s Bedminister will be detrimental to the PGA of America “brand” to deliver our many programmes and sustain the longevity of our mission.
Our Board has this, made the decision to exercise our right to terminate the contract to hold the 2022 PGA Championship at Trump’s Bedminister.
It was a decision made to ensure the PGA of America and the PGA professionals can continue to lead and grow our great game for decades to come.
Thank you for your continued support and passion for the game we all love.
PGA of America
A position re-echoed by Seth Waugh, PGA of America’s CEO.
“We find ourselves in a political situation not of our making… given the tragic events of Wednesday, we could no longer hold it at Bedminster. The damage could have been irreparable. The only real course of action was to leave.”
A new venue is yet to be announced.
The decision came after last week’s violent attack on the US Capitol by President Trump’s supporters, which left five people dead.
The Trump Organisation said in a statement it has “a beautiful partnership with the PGA of America and are incredibly disappointed with their decision.”
“This is a breach of a binding contract and they have no right to terminate the agreement,” the statement said. “As an organization we have invested many, many millions of dollars in the 2022 PGA Championship at Trump National Golf Club, Bedminster. We will continue to promote the game of golf on every level and remain focused on operating the finest golf courses anywhere in the world.”
The PGA of America is made up of nearly 29,000 golf professionals and is responsible for hosting the PGA Championship, one of four prestigious “major championships” held in Professional Golf in a calendar year.
It can be recalled that the organisation cancelled The PGA Grand Slam of Golf in July 2015 at Trump National Los Angeles Golf Club after Trump called Mexican immigrants “rapists” during a speech announcing his first run for President.
The Grand Slam of Golf, which brings together the winners of the season’s four major championships, was eventually cancelled that year due to “logistics and series of venue complications.”
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