The PGA of America is taking the 2022 PGA Championship away from President Donald Trump's Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J. and looking for new potential hosts.
"The PGA of America Board of Directors voted tonight to exercise the right to terminate the agreement to play the 2022 PGA Championship at Trump Bedminster." — Jim Richerson, PGA of America President
— PGA of America (@PGA) January 11, 2021
A replacement site for the championship has not been announced. Several potential venues, including 2030 host Southern Hills in Oklahoma, Shoal Creek in Alabama and Liberty National in New Jersey, were floated as options.
The Trump Organization said the PGA of America is not on solid legal footing to terminate their agreement.
"We have had a beautiful partnership with the PGA of America and are incredibly disappointed with their decision," said a spokesperson for The Trump Organization told ABC News. "This is a breach of a binding contract and they have no right to terminate the agreement. As an organization we have invested many, many millions of dollars in the 2022 PGA Championship at Trump National Golf Club, Bedminster. We will continue to promote the game of golf on every level and remain focused on operating the finest golf courses anywhere in the world."
Golf Magazine's Alan Shipnuck first reported Sunday night that the PGA of America will announce the move after Trump's term ends on Jan. 20 with the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th President. However, the timeline for the announcement was clearly sooner than reporting suggested.
Sources close to the PGA of America have indicated this move could happen but expressed reluctance to exit the contract, including economic impact, concerns over building tournament infrastructure in a compressed timeframe and a potential lawsuit from the Trump Organization.
Back in 2015, the PGA of America canceled the Grand Slam of Golf that was scheduled to be played at Trump's public golf course in Southern California, citing Trump's comments about immigrants during his election campaign kickoff. The PGA of America, which announced the '22 PGA Championship deal in 2014 even after Trump propagated birtherism myths about then-President Barack Obama, has now done the same for next year's event.
Trump National in New Jersey hosted the 2017 US Women's Open, and Trump National Doral in Florida hosted the PGA Tour from 1962 to 2016.
