PGA yanks major from Trump course in N. J.
The PGA of America cut ties to President Trump when it voted Sunday to take the PGA Championship event from his New Jersey course next year.
The vote came four days after the Trumpfueled riot at the nation’s Capitol as Congress was certifying the election victory of Presidentelect Joe Biden. This is the second time in just more than five years the PGA of America removed an event from a Trump course.
PGA President Jim Richerson says the board voted to exercise its right to “terminate the agreement” with Trump National in Bedminster, N. J.
“We find ourselves in a political situation not of our making,” SethWaugh, the CEO of the PGA of America, said in a telephone interview. “We’re fiduciaries for our members, for the game, for our mission and for our brand. And how do we best protect that? Our feeling was given the tragic events ofWednesday that we could no longer hold it at Bedminster. The damage could have been irreparable. The only real course of action was to leave.”
The PGA of America, which has some 29,000 golf professionals who mostly teach the game, signed the deal with Trump National in 2014.
The PGA of America canceled the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in 2015 at Trump National Los Angeles Golf Club after Trump’s disparaging remarks about Mexican immigrants. The event was canceled for good the next spring.
Trump will present one of the nation’s highest civilian honors to Bill Belichick, the head coach of the New England Patriots and the only coach to win six Super Bowl titles. The presentation of the Presidential Medal of Freedom is expected Thursday, a White House official confirmed.