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Donald Trump’s resort town in Bedminster has been deprived of hosting one of the world’s biggest golf tournaments, as the sports world joins politicians and business groups in breaking away from the US President in the following the riot that ravaged the United States Capitol last week.
The PGA of America, the body that organizes professional golf events in the United States, has announced that it will move the 2022 PGA Championship away from the New Jersey-based course in the final blow to a growing US president. more isolated.
Mr. Trump, an avid golfer whose hotel empire includes golf resorts in the US, UK and Dubai, has long sought to capture the sport’s biggest events in an effort to bolster the image of its properties.
Next year’s PGA Championship would have been the first time that a Trump-owned course has hosted one of four annual ‘majors’ men’s golf tournaments – and with it a much-coveted world spotlight during his post- presidency.
Yet the culturally conservative American golf establishment has moved away from Mr. Trump, just as previously supportive Republican politicians and business leaders parted ways with the president after his supporters stormed the United States Congress by storm. last week.
PGA of America General Manager Seth Waugh said in an interview with The Associated Press: “We find ourselves in a political situation that is beyond our control. We are the trustees of our members, the game, our mission and our brand. And how can we better protect that?
“We felt, given the tragic events of Wednesday, that we could no longer hold him in Bedminster. The damage could have been irreparable. The only real course of action was to leave. PGA of America declined to comment further.
The Trump Organization did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, in a statement to US media, he said: “This is a breach of a binding contract and they have no right to terminate the agreement. As an organization, we have invested millions of dollars in the 2022 PGA Championship at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster.
“We will continue to promote golf at all levels and remain focused on operating the best golf courses around the world.”
Mr Trump has another venue considered capable of hosting one of the major golf tournaments: the Turnberry Course in Scotland. This is on a rotation of 14 UK based courses that can be awarded to the event in the future.
Martin Slumbers, Managing Director of The R&A, said on Monday: “We weren’t planning on hosting any of our championships in Turnberry and won’t be doing so for the foreseeable future. We will not be returning until we are convinced that the focus is on the championship, the players and the course itself and we do not believe that is feasible under the current circumstances.
The story has been corrected to reflect that the R&A – not the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews – runs the Open.
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