The 2022 PGA Championship will no longer be held at Trump Bedminster.
While facing the lonely end of his presidency, Donald Trump learned on Sunday night that after last week’s riot at the United States Capitol, he lost one of the relationships he values most: his partnership with the Professional Golfers’ Association.
Although the president in trouble has tried hard to preserve his political career, PGA of America, one of the owners of the four major golf championship tournaments, has announced that it plans to transfer its 2022 PGA Championship from the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, NJ
“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,” said Jim Richerson, president of the PGA of America, in a statement.
“We had a beautiful partnership with PGA of America and we are extremely disappointed in their decision,” said a spokesman for The Trump Organization. “This is a breach of a binding contract and they have no right to terminate the agreement. As an organization, we have invested many, many millions of dollars in the 2022 PGA Championship at the Trump National Golf Club, Bedminster. We will continue to promote the game of golf in at all levels and remain focused on operating the best golf courses anywhere in the world. “
Trump is an avid golfer, and the Trump Organization owns or operates 17 golf courses worldwide, with three more opening in Dubai and Indonesia. Before taking office, Trump told his supporters that he “would work for you,” so “he wouldn’t have time to play golf” – but he mixed politics with golf throughout his tenure at the White House.
According to Trump Golf Count, a website that tracks President Trump’s golf matches, Trump made about 300 daytime visits to golf clubs during his presidency, playing with world leaders, political allies, executives, conservative media personalities and professional athletes.
Trump awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s largest civilian tribute, to a quartet of decorated golfers: Tiger Woods, Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Gary Player and Annika Sorenstam.
And at times, Trump seems to use the power of his position to benefit his global golf business, especially when Trump allegedly directed the American ambassador to Britain, Woody Johnson, to ask the British government to help secure a British Open future. to the Trump Turnberry resort in Scotland. Trump denied the report the next day, saying, “No, I never spoke to Woody Johnson about Turnberry.”
On Sunday, the 2022 PGA Championship was the only tournament listed on the Trump Organization website, so the PGA of America’s decision appears to break its last remaining ties to the golf establishment, effectively exiling him and his courses from the prestigious and lucrative world of golf professional.
In 2016, the professional golf circuit PGA Tour prematurely ended a deal to host a World Golf Championship event at the Trump National Doral resort in Miami, Florida, after then-candidate Trump made disparaging comments about Mexican immigrants on campaign , and moved the event to Mexico City.