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The US PGA has canceled plans to stage a major golf tournament at the Trump Organization Golf Course in New Jersey next year, citing concern over the organization’s “branding”.
The PGA of America board of directors voted Sunday night to end the agreement to play the 2022 PGA Championship at Trump Bidminster in New Jersey, said Jim Richerson, president of PGA of America.
Richerson said in A. Video She posted on the organization’s website that the decision was made “to ensure that American PGAs and PGA professionals can continue to lead and develop our great game for decades to come.”
The Golf Professionals’ announcement comes days after a crowd of President Trump’s supporters stormed the US Capitol building, causing damage and killing five people.
“It has become clear that holding a PGA Championship at Trump Bidminster would be detrimental to the PGA of America brand” and risk the organization’s ability to implement its programs and goals of promoting golf.
“Tonight the Board of Directors of PGA of America voted to exercise the right to terminate the agreement to play the 2022 PGA Championship in Trump Bidminster.” – Jim Richerson, President of the PGA America
– American PGA (PGA) January 11, 2021
PGA of America consists of about 29,000 golf professionals. The organization is responsible for hosting the annual golf tournament, the PGA Championship, one of the Grand Slam championships that is held in professional golf.
PGA struck a deal with Trump National in 2014 to hold the tournament there in 2022, according to the Associated Press.
In 2015, the organization canceled the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in 2015 at the Trump National Golf Club in Los Angeles after Trump called Mexican immigrants “rapists” during a speech announcing his first candidacy for president.
The Trump Organization said in a statement to AP That she has a “beautiful partnership with the American PGA” and that she is “incredibly frustrated” with the decision.
“This is a breach of a binding contract, and they do not have the right to terminate the agreement,” the organization said, adding that the company invested “several million dollars” to host the 2022 tournament there.
Trump is still dealing with the fallout from Wednesday’s attack on the Capitol Building. Several of his top advisers and government ministers resigned following the riots. They blamed Trump’s words that led to the attack and his delay of discouraging the rioters’ actions as the reason for their departure.
As did legislators, including at least two Republican members, the Senate call For Trump to resign, while the House of Representatives plans to demand his immediate removal or removal from office through the 25th Amendment.