Sports

PGA Tour Moves Tournament To Donald Trump's Least Favorite Place

The PGA Tour hasn't said exactly where the World Golf Championships will be held, but reports say Club de Golf Chapultepec is the likely venue.

PGA Tour Moves Tournament To Donald Trump's Least Favorite Place
Getty Images / Jeff J Mitchell
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The PGA Tour is moving one of its most iconic tournaments from a course owned by Donald Trump to a place the presumptive GOP presidential candidate isn't too fond of.

"They're moving it to Mexico City — which, by the way, I hope they have kidnapping insurance. But they're moving it to Mexico City. And I'm saying, you know, what's going on here? It's so sad when you look what's going on with our country," Trump said on Fox News.

The PGA Tour announced the decision Wednesday to move the 2017 World Golf Championships from Trump National Doral Miami to Mexico.

No specific venue in Mexico has been announced yet, but reports say Club de Golf Chapultepec could be the new location. It's owned by businessman Ricardo Salinas Pliego, ranked by Forbes the seventh richest in Mexico.

While the move might seem political, PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem maintains that it's instead about securing a new partnership. Cadillac, which has sponsored the tour in the past, didn't renew for the 2017 tournament.

"In the last couple of months, we've had regular NBA games, Major League Baseball's been in Mexico City, we have Formula 1, we're going to have a Monday night game in November 21 for the Raiders and the Texans. So, it's a business decision," ESPN reporter John Sutcliffe said.

But the two sides' relationship on political issues likely didn't help things. In July 2015, Trump and the PGA Tour mutually decided to part ways for the PGA Grand Slam after he made controversial comments about Mexico.

"I will, and the wall just got 10 feet taller, believe me," Trump said during a Feb 2016 debate.

As for that wall Trump plans to build if he's elected president? Well, golfer Rory McIlroy joked, "It's quite ironic that we're going to Mexico after being at Doral. We'll just jump over the wall."

This video includes clips from CARAS TVGeneral Motors and Trump National Doral Miami and images from Getty Images.