PGA Moves Event From Donald Trump Golf Course - New York Times

Photo

The P.G.A. of America pulled its Grand Slam of Golf from a course owned by Donald Trump, center, after his comments about Mexican immigrants. Credit Karsten Moran for The New York Times

About five years ago, when golf was going through an economic downswing, Donald Trump took the opportunity to buy in, scooping up failed properties. He already had courses emblazoned with his name around the world, but credibility? That eluded him.

Soon major golf tours came calling, bringing big-money, high-profile events to his courses. Major championships â€" the prized possessions of every club â€" came next. In short order, Trump had gone from outsider to having a seat in the club.

Now he is wondering if he will get to keep it.

“I’ve been very loyal to golf,” Trump said Tuesday in a telephone interview. “I own 17 clubs. They all do great. We will see whether or not golf is loyal to me.”

That is the question after the P.G.A. of America on Tuesday became the first major golf organization to pull an event from one of Trump’s properties in response to Trump’s racially insensitive remarks last month about Mexican immigrants during a speech in which he announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for president.

Photo

Trump National Golf Club in Los Angeles fronts the Pacific Ocean. Credit Nick Ut/Associated Press

The P.G.A. Grand Slam of Golf â€" a year-end exhibition among the winners of the four men’s major championships â€" was scheduled for October at Trump National Golf Club in Los Angeles.

Instead, it will be moved to a yet-to-be-determined location.

Trump said it was a mutually agreed upon move to protect his friends in the organization from dealing with potential backlash over his remarks, in which he said, referring to Mexican immigrants: “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.” He later added, “And some, I assume, are good people.”

The P.G.A. and L.P.G.A. issued statements on Tuesday, with the P.G.A. saying “we understand and support” the decision. The L.P.G.A. said that the Women’s British Open at Trump’s Turnberry Resort later this month would be staged as scheduled, adding that “a change in venue for this prestigious major simply isn’t feasible without significantly diminishing the event.”

“I think those statements are unnecessary,” Trump said. “The voters of this country agree with me. All you have to do is look at the polls.”

Trump later told a Golf Channel reporter days after the June 16 speech that he had “tremendous support from the golf world, because they all know I’m right,” referring to his remarks about Mexican immigrants.

That led the U.S.G.A., P.G.A. Tour, L.P.G.A. Tour and the P.G.A. of America to issue a joint statement disputing Trump’s claims.

Photo

Donald Trump said because of the backlash over his comments he does not want the P.G.A. of America to deal with any consequences. Credit Nick Ut/Associated Press

But each organization has connected itself to Trump’s growing golf empire in the past half-decade, staging and agreeing to hold marquee events at his courses.

In addition to the Women’s British Open at the Turnberry Resort, which Trump purchased last year, three other major championships will be held at his courses by 2022: the 2017 United States Women’s Open (at Trump National in Bedminster, N.J.), the 2017 Senior P.G.A. Championship (at Trump National in Potomac Falls, Va.) and the 2022 P.G.A. Championship at his Bedminster course.

And as part of that deal last year with the P.G.A. of America, it moved the Grand Slam of Golf from its traditional home in Bermuda to Trump’s Los Angeles course in a multiyear deal that runs through 2018. The P.G.A. of America’s statement about the move, however, noted that it was for this year.

“I think a lot of people are surprised that it wasn’t all or nothing,” said the former P.G.A. of America president Ted Bishop. “I don’t know what kind of statement the P.G.A. of America makes by saying, ‘We’re not going to do this for one year, but we’re going to go back for all these others.’ ”

Bishop, who was ousted from the organization last year after he made public comments that were widely seen as sexist, was part of the group that entered into a multi-event deal with Trump in 2014. He said that both he and the former P.G.A. of America chief executive Joe Steranka originally wanted nothing to do with Trump or his growing grip on the sport. But once Pete Bevacqua took over for Steranka, he said, he pushed for the two sides to do more business.

In addition to his own original-design golf properties, Trump had increasingly begun acquiring more pieces of the golf market. He purchased the financially struggling properties in Colts Neck and Pine Hill, N.J. He bought the Doral Resort & Spa â€" and its famous Blue Monster course, which hosts the W.G.C.-Cadillac Championship â€" out of bankruptcy in 2012. When the U.S.G.A. awarded him a United States Women’s Open in 2012, the door had been opened for others to follow suit.

And if, at the end of the day, golf is not loyal back?

“I have wonderful alternatives,” Trump said. “It’s called â€" I’ll make a fortune.”