Golf tournament leaving Trump’s Doral course for Mexico, chairman says

The annual PGA golf tournament at Doral, a staple of South Florida sports for 54 years, is relocating to Mexico City, the tournament’s outgoing chairman said Wednesday.

Butch Buchholz, who ran the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship at Trump National Doral, said the PGA informed him on Tuesday night that it made the decision to leave South Florida because it couldn’t find a title sponsor to replace Cadillac.

“I believe they are sincere when they said they didn't want to leave an event with a 54-year history,” Buchholz said. “They've got an obligation to their board and they couldn't find a sponsor so they had to move. They don't have a choice. The PGA Tour didn't have a choice, If you don't have a sponsor what can you do?”

Donald Trump foreshadowed the news on an interview with Fox’s Sean Hannity on Tuesday night.

“I mean, I just heard that the PGA Tour is taking their tournament out of Miami and moving it to Mexico as an example,” Trump said. “They’re taking it — it’s at Doral, it’s at — they used one of my places. They’re moving their tournament, it’s the Cadillac World Golf Championship. And Cadillac’s been a great sponsor, but they’re moving it to Mexico. 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 is so sad when you look at what’s going on with our country.”

The PGA said in December that it would “explore all options regarding the event’s future” in the wake of Trump’s controversial proposal last year to ban Muslim immigrants from entering the United States.

Buchholz said he did not know whether Trump’s comments were the primary reason why the PGA was unable to find a sponsor to replace Cadillac, which informed the tour a year ago that it would not renew.

PGA Tour officials could not immediately be reached.

“Cadillac was going to leave,” Buchholz said. “It had nothing to do with Trump. They said changing their whole marketing strategy. The tour had almost a year to find a replacement.”

A statement from Miami-Dade County mayor Carlos Gimenez read: “I am very disappointed to hear that the PGA Tour is leaving Miami-Dade County and the City of Doral. Our community has hosted the tournament for the last half century. The PGA has been a great partner in Miami-Dade, making long-term pledges to the United Way and First Tee of South Florida.

It is disappointing to learn that these charitable causes are now left without those valued contributions. What is equally disappointing is that the businesses in the City of Doral, and throughout our county, will no longer have the opportunity to take advantage of a world-class event, and the economic benefits it brings. I feel strongly that Miami is the right place for the tournamant. I urge the PGA to reconsider its decision and keep the tournament where it belongs, right here in Miami.”

With the tennis tournament on Key Biscayne also threatening to leave because it has been blocked legally from making renovations to the facility, Buchholz — who started that tennis tournament — believes South Florida likely will lose its two spring jewels.

“We are probably going to lose tennis and golf,” he said. It's not great for your community,” he said. “They contributed greatly to our community's enjoyment and fans.”

This story was originally published June 1, 2016 at 10:53 AM with the headline "Golf tournament leaving Trump’s Doral course for Mexico, chairman says."