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The PGA of America followed up its tepid words of reproach for Donald Trump’s offensive remarks about Mexican immigrants with some action when it yanked the Grand Slam of Golf from Trump National Golf Club in Los Angeles.
"The PGA of America met with Donald J. Trump yesterday and the parties mutually agreed that it is in the best interest of all not to conduct the 2015 PGA Grand Slam of Golf at Trump National Los Angeles," the association said in a statement released on Tuesday. "The PGA of America is in the process of exploring options, including a venue for its annual PGA Junior League Golf Championship, and will comment further at the appropriate time."
The move is the latest in a string of developments following the controversial comments by Trump, a Republican candidate for president. The decision to move the PGA exhibition came a day after ESPN said it would change its ESPY Celebrity Golf Classic venue from Trump National Golf Club to Pelican Hill Golf Club in Los Angeles, and after companies such as Univision, NBC, Macy’s, Serta, and NASCAR stopped doing business with the real estate businessman.
Following the first waves of condemnation for his comments, Trump initially told Golf Channel that golf industry executives "know I’m right." Since then, the PGA of America, PGA and LPGA Tours, and the USGA issued a weakly worded statement saying Trump’s opinions were "inconsistent with our strong commitment to an inclusive and welcoming environment in the game of golf."
The PGA Tour, which stages events on Trump courses -- the most notable of which is the WGC-Cadillac Championship at Trump National Doral -- was still carefully crafting statements, saying on Tuesday that "we understand and support" the PGA decision and would continue to "monitor the situation," according to GolfChannel.com.
A Trump property has never hosted a major, but with his continued acquisition of courses throughout the world, that was going to end and the major governing bodies (USGA, PGA of America, R&A, PGA Tour) were doing business with him. The 2017 U.S. Women's Open is set for Trump National in New Jersey, and the PGA Championship is scheduled there for 2022. Trump also bought Turnberry in Scotland, which is a part of the British Open rota, so he should host that major at some point TBD.