Donald Trump has reacted angrily after the PGA Tour golf tournament was moved from one of his courses to Mexico.
The PGA Tour said it could not find sponsors to hold the 2017 World Golf Championship at Donald Trump’s Doral course in Miami.
The presumptive Republican nominee said the PGA had “put profit ahead of thousands of American jobs”.
On the campaign trail, Donald Trump has portrayed Mexico as undermining the US economy.
PGA Tour commissioner Timothy Finchem said Donald Trump’s current profile had made it “difficult” to attract sponsors.
He said: “It’s fundamentally a sponsorship issue.”
Photo Getty Images
Luxury car maker Cadillac has reportedly not renewed its sponsorship deal.
“Donald Trump is a brand, a big brand, and when you’re asking a company to invest millions of dollars in branding a tournament and they’re going to share that brand with the host, it’s a difficult decision,” Timothy Finchem said.
However, he insisted the decision to move the event to Mexico City from Florida, where it has been held for the past 55 years, was not political.
“From a golf standpoint we have no issues with Donald Trump. From a political standpoint we are neutral. PGA Tour has never been involved or cares to be involved in presidential politics,” Timothy Finchem added.
The PGA Tour has signed a new seven-year sponsorship deal with Grupo Salinas, and the first WGC-Mexico Championship will held in March 2017.
Donald Trump said the decision marked a “sad day for Miami, the US and the game of golf”.
“This decision only further embodies the very reason I am running for president of the United States,” he said.
The venue for the event has not been officially confirmed, but media reports say it will take place at the Club de Golf Chapultapec outside Mexico City.
“I hope they have kidnapping insurance,” Donald Trump told Fox News.
Timothy Finchem said that a member of his staff had already confirmed that this was in place.
“I haven’t inquired about the detail,” he said.
“But I made the point that maybe that’s something we don’t want to advertise.”
Golfer Jason Day collapsed with vertigo during round two of this year’s US Open at Chambers Bay on June 12.
Jason Day, 27, who suffers with the condition for several years, needed treatment for a few minutes after his fall.
The Australian regained his footing and missed a putt for par on the ninth hole – his 18th – before succeeding from four feet for a bogey to leave him on two under.
Medical staff had to help Jason Day walk over to sign his scorecard but he said he plans to play on in the tournament.
Photo Fox Sports
Jason Day’s agent Bud Martin said: “Jason was diagnosed to have suffered from Benign Positional Vertigo. He is resting comfortably.
“His condition is being monitored closely and he is hopeful he will be able to compete this weekend in the final rounds of the US Open. He wants to thank all who treated him the fans and friends who have reached out to him and his family.”
Playing partner Justin Rose, who shot a level-par 70 to stand at two over, said: “At first I thought he might’ve just rolled his ankle but then when I saw his caddie with a towel round him, I realised it was something else.
“I knew he’d been having some health issues recently and then that’s when your mind starts racing a little bit.”
Vertigo caused world No 10 Jason Day to withdraw from the World Golf Championship in Ohio in 2014 and last month’s Byron Nelson Championship.
Chinese golfer Guan Tianlang has become the youngest player to make the cut at a major golf tournament at the US Masters in Augusta.
Guan Tianlang, 14, was penalised for slow play at Augusta, but his overall score of four over was still enough to see him become the youngest player to make the cut.
He was given the one-stroke penalty after making par on the 17th, having earlier been warned for slow play during the Masters second round.
Guan Tianlang said: “I respect the decision. This is what they can do.”
Gregory Bourdy, at the 2010 US PGA, was the last to be penalised for slow play.
Guan Tianlang carded 16 pars in total, although the one on 17 became a bogey after the European Tour’s chief referee John Paramor alerted him of the penalty.
The teenager said he took extra time trying to gauge the tricky wind conditions.
Chinese golfer Guan Tianlang has become the youngest player to make the cut at a major golf tournament at the US Masters in Augusta
“This still is a wonderful experience,” he said.
“I enjoyed this week so far and think I did a pretty good job.”
Masters competition committee chairman Fred Ridley released a statement explaining that amateur Guan Tianlang and playing partners Ben Crenshaw and Matteo Manassero were deemed out of position on the 10th hole.
Guan Tianlang began being timed on the 12th hole, received his first warning after his second shot on the 13th, then was penalised after his second shot on the 17th “when he again exceeded the 40-second time limit by a considerable margin”.
Despite the setback, the teenager went on to par the last for a 75, to go with his first-round 73.
Guan Tianlang is exactly 10 shots behind tournament leader Jason Day of Australia.
Two-time winner Ben Crenshaw said: “This is not going to end pretty. I’m sick for him [Guan Tianlang]. I feel terrible. He is 14 years old. I’m so sorry this has happened.”
Matteo Manassero held the record of being the youngest to make a major cut when at the age of 16 he qualified for the last two days of the 2009 Open.
The Italian said Guan Tianlang did take too long on his shots.
“I think it’s the biggest thing he needs to be careful about, because I think he’s ready,” said Matteo Manassero, who is five over for the championship after shooting a 74.
“When the caddie pulls the club for him, I think he’s ready. But most of the times that he takes a little too long he just asks questions that I think he knows, but just to be sure, just to be clear in his mind.
“We all feel sorry, but this is the way professional golf goes.
“This will end up being a great experience for him.”
Clubhouse leader Fred Couples, the 1992 champion, was reluctant to criticise Guan Tianlang’s penalty saying the rules should be applied just as strictly to the teenager despite his tender years.
“The soft-coated answer would be I feel bad, but I also feel like they just don’t go around handing out one-shot penalties here,” he said.
“I don’t even know of anyone who has ever got one.
“It feels hard to give a 14-year-old a penalty, but he’s in the field. He beat a lot of guys yesterday, whatever the age he is.”
Guan Tianlang also became the youngest player to make the cut in a PGA Tour event, breaking the 56-year-old record held by Canadian Bob Panasik, who was 15 when he made it through to the last two rounds of the 1957 Canadian Open.
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