Jack Nicklaus blasts PGA for moving championship to Oklahoma

‘This move is cancel culture!’ Jack Nicklaus blasts PGA’s decision to move 2022 championship from Trump’s Bedminster club to Oklahoma in wake of January 6 riots because link to ex-president was ‘detrimental to brand’

  • Last January the PGA of America Board of Directors voted to relocate the 2022 PGA Championship from Trump Bedminster due to the 2021 Capitol riots 
  • The tournament, which kicks off on May 19, will now be held at the Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • During an appearance on Michael Bamberger’s podcast Fire Pit Collective Niklaus called out PGA for the choice, claiming it was politically motivated
  • ‘Donald Trump may be a lot of things, but he loves golf and he loves this country,’ he said. ‘He’s a student of the game and a formidable figure in the game
  • The 2022 PGA Championship was set to be the first men’s major to take place at Trump National Golf Club

Golfing icon Jack Nicklaus says Donald Trump has fallen victim to cancel culture after the PGA axed plans to host its championship at the ex-president’s New Jersey club following the January 6 riots.  

‘I like Seth Waugh,’ Nicklaus said, referring to the PGA’s CEO. ‘Seth didn’t need this job. He took the job because he thought he could give the PGA of America some good guidance. but this move is cancel culture.’

Nicklaus, who endorsed Trump for president in 2020, said that the former president is an important figure in the golf world and does not deserve to be cancelled. 

‘Donald Trump may be a lot of things, but he loves golf and he loves this country,’ the longtime Republican financial donor added. ‘He’s a student of the game and a formidable figure in the game. What he does in the future in golf will depend on what the cancel culture will allow him to do.’ 

Last January the PGA of America Board of Directors voted to relocate the 2022 PGA Championship from Trump Bedminster, claiming it would be ‘detrimental’ told hold it at the former president’s gold course after Trump was accused of inciting a deadly riot and siege of the Capitol as Congress was certifying the election victory of President-elect Joe Biden.

‘It has become clear that conducting the PGA Championship at Trump Bedminister would be detrimental to the PGA of America brand and would put at risk the PGA’s ability to deliver on many programs and sustain the longevity of our mission,’ PGA of America president Jim Richerson said at the time. 

During an appearance on Michael Bamberger’s podcast Fire Pit Collective legendary golfer Jack Niklaus called out PGA for the choice, claiming it was politically motivated

‘Donald Trump may be a lot of things, but he loves golf and he loves this country,’ Niklaus said. ‘He’s a student of the game and a formidable figure in the game’ (Nicklaus and Trump pictured)

Last January the PGA of America Board of Directors voted to relocate the 2022 PGA Championship from Trump Bedminster due to the 2021 Capitol riots

‘We find ourselves in a political situation not of our making,’ Seth Waugh, the CEO of the PGA of America, said as well. ‘We’re fiduciaries for our members, for the game, for our mission and for our brand. And how do we best protect that? Our feeling was given the tragic events (at the Capitol) that we could no longer hold it at Bedminster. The damage could have been irreparable. The only real course of action was to leave.’

The tournament, which kicks off on May 19, will now be held at the Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma. 

Nicklaus made the remarks on Michael Bamberger’s podcast Fire Pit Collective this week Niklaus. The 73-time PGA tour winner, called out PGA leadership for the choice, claiming it was politically motivated. 

The 2022 PGA Championship was set to be the first men’s major to take place at Trump National Golf Club.

Nicklaus, who endorsed Trump for president, said that the former president is an important figure in the golf world and does not deserve to be cancelled

Niklaus endorsed Trump for president in October 2020

Trump was accused of inciting a deadly riot and siege of the Capitol as Congress was certifying the election victory of President-elect Joe Biden

Golf has always been the favored sport of Trump, or at least the sport he has been most connected with over the years.

The PGA of America, which has some 29,000 golf professionals who mostly teach the game, signed the deal with Trump National in 2014.

It previously canceled the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in 2015 at Trump National Los Angeles Golf Club after Trump’s disparaging remarks about Mexican immigrants when he announced he was seeking the Republican nomination for president. The event was canceled for good the following spring.

The PGA of America, which operates separately from the PGA Tour and its week-to-week tournaments, previously held the Senior PGA Championship at Trump’s course outside Washington in 2017. That was the same year the USGA staged the U.S. Women’s Open at Trump National in Bedminster.

The former president owns at least 17 golf clubs around the world, including several in Florida. 

Trump also owns Turnberry in Scotland, one of the most picturesque links in the British Open rotation most famous for the ‘Duel in Sun’ between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus in 1977, and most recently Henrik Stenson beating Phil Mickelson in 2016. The R&A, which determines the British Open rotation, has not returned to Turnberry since Trump took over.

He also owns Trump Doral outside Miami, for years a venerable stop on the PGA Tour schedule and most recently a World Golf Championship site. Trump’s presence made it difficult to find a corporate sponsor, and the tournament moved to Mexico in 2017.

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