Former President Donald Trump lost out on the chance to host the 2022 PGA Championship at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, in connection to public outrage over his ties to the Capitol riot, and Golf Digest has a new report going over details of what exactly went down. Remarkably, the deal to host the 2022 PGA at Trump’s Bedminster property was announced in 2014 — making the tournament’s move elsewhere a status hit to Trump that caps years of anticipation and preparation.
“Donald Trump, whose name is attached to two dozen courses in the United States and other parts of the world, has spent 25 years trying to land a men’s major championship,” as Golf Digest explained. “Right now, there’s no sign that will ever happen. The R&A, to cite one organizing body Trump has been wooing for years, has made no public suggestion it will ever bring the British Open back to Turnberry, the stunning Scottish course now known as Trump Turnberry.” Meanwhile, Seth Waugh, the CEO of the PGA of America who’s apparently known Trump for some 30 years, got right to dealing with the question of where to actually host this year’s PGA championship after last year’s Capitol riot took place. As Waugh explained it, “On Jan. 5, we were going to Bedminster… Then, obviously, a lot changed.”
NEW: Sources on Jan. 6 committee tell me they see the subpoenas as win-win — If Republicans comply, they get the cooperation. If Republicans refuse, then Democrats can also refuse if they get subpoenaed. The committee is not worried about enforcement thru courts!
— Hugo Lowell (@hugolowell) May 12, 2022
Notably, Golf Digest outlines how the Trump company was set to be owed big from the PGA for the abandonment of the championship hosting contract — a sum the outlet cites as apparently in the millions, so it’s no small matter here. The organization’s prominent yearly tournament — planned out years in advance — was being moved. The day after last year’s riot, Waugh “met with the PGA of America’s senior staff and its board members. They had to consider various constituencies, including advertisers, paying fans, TV viewers, broadcast partners, corporate sponsors — and the 29,000 men and women of the PGA of America,” as the Golf Digest report explains. It was by the afternoon of the following day that organization leaders reached the decision to move the 2022 event.
BREAKING: Jan. 6 committee to subpoena House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy and four other Republicans: Jordan, Biggs, Brooks, Perry per sources familiar
— Hugo Lowell (@hugolowell) May 12, 2022
“Everybody wants to make this a political move, but we got put into a political place that was not of our own making… My feeling was we could do existential damage to our brand by staying at Bedminster. If we stayed, the 2022 PGA would be about its ownership. People would think we were making a statement by staying there. I felt like we could do permanent damage to the brand if we stayed. As did the board,” Waugh has stated. The PGA eventually settled 2022 tournament-related matters between it and Trump Golf — yet another arm of Trump’s business — by the time last year drew to a close. Now, Trump is associating with the Saudi government-funded LIV Golf Invitational Series while also keeping up his political appearances. Read more at this link.
Here’s some good news:
The Senate *finally* confirmed President Biden’s two picks for the Postal Service Board of Governors.
But here’s the even better news:
They can finally fire Trump’s Postmaster General, Louis DeJoy. And roll back his most dangerous cuts.
— Adam Schiff (@AdamSchiff) May 16, 2022
