PGA event to be moved from Trump’s course after immigrant comments
WASHINGTON — Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump’s organization said on Tuesday that a professional golfing event scheduled for October at a Trump course in Los Angeles will be moved, the latest fallout from his vitriol against illegal immigrants from Mexico.
A statement issued from Hope Hicks, Trump’s campaign spokeswoman, said Trump met on Monday with representatives from the PGA of America and they agreed “it is in everyone’s best interest not to conduct the 2015 Grand Slam of Golf at Trump National Golf Club, Los Angeles in October.”
“Due to the controversy surrounding statements made by Mr. Trump having to do with illegal immigrants pouring into the United States from Mexico and other parts of the world, Mr. Trump does not want his friends at the PGA of America to suffer any consequences or backlash with respect to the Grand Slam of Golf,” Hicks said.
The decision to move the Grand Slam of Golf event, which usually features a handful of the best professional golfers competing against one another, came a day after sports broadcaster ESPN announced it would move the ESPY Celebrity Golf Classic from Trump National Golf Club to Pelican Hill Golf Club in the Los Angeles area.
Since his June 16 candidacy announcement speech, in which he vented about illegal immigrants, Trump has seen a steady flow of business away from him. Univision declared it would not broadcast the Miss USA pageant, and NBC, Macy’s, Serta and NASCAR cut ties with him.
In addition, the four major professional U.S. golfing organizations, PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, USGA and PGA of America, issued a joint statement last week saying Trump’s views were inconsistent with their goal of an inclusive and welcoming environment in the game.
The real estate mogul said on Monday that some of his criticism of Mexico had been distorted, but stuck to his stance that many illegal immigrants coming across the Mexican border are criminals.
In Tuesday’s statement from his campaign, Trump said moving the Grand Slam event will give him time to rebuild the Los Angeles course.
“I have great respect for the PGA of America and everything they stand for,” he said.
