Golf tournament moving from Trump course to Mexico

The PGA Tour is moving a major tournament from Trump National Doral golf resort in Miami to a course in Mexico City, a new report says.

The decision to move the word-class event, formerly known as World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship, was made because Cadillac withdrew its sponsorship and was replaced my Mexican conglomerate Grupo Salinas, the Golf Channel reported.

{mosads}Donald Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee and owner of the Doral club, panned the move on Fox News on Tuesday night.

“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,” he said. The event will be played at Club de Golf Chapultepec in Mexico City.

On Wednesday, Trump released a statement slamming the move:

“It is a sad day for Miami, the United States and the game of golf, to have the PGA Tour consider moving the World Golf Championships, which has been hosted in Miami for the last 55 years, to Mexico. No different than Nabisco, Carrier and so many other American companies, the PGA Tour has put profit ahead of thousands of American jobs, millions of dollars in revenue for local communities and charities and the enjoyment of hundreds of thousands of fans who make the tournament an annual tradition. This decision only further embodies the very reason I am running for President of the United States.”

Butch Buchholz, the outgoing chairman of the event, confirmed the move to the Miami Herald on Wednesday, saying the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) couldn’t find a title sponsor to replace Cadillac.

“If you don’t have a sponsor, what can you do?” he asked.

In December, the PGA questioned whether the event would continue at Doral after 2016 following Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric around Mexican immigrants and his proposal to ban Muslims from entering the United States.

“Mr. Trump’s comments are inconsistent with our strong commitment to an inclusive and welcoming environment in the game of golf,” the group said in a statement.

The tournament has been held at Doral since 1962, and its departure has angered local politicians.

Miami-Dade mayor Carlos Gimenez urged the PGA to reconsider, underlining the charitable and business contributions that the tournament brought to the area.

“The PGA has been a great partner in Miami-Dade, making long-term pledges to the United Way and First Tee of South Florida,” he said.

“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.”

Grupo Salinas is a media and telecommunications conglomerate owned by Mexican billionaire Ricardo Salinas Pliego. Among its holdings is Azteca America, a major Spanish-language TV network with coverage in 75 markets in the United States.

The Miami Herald reported that a PGA representative will address the issue at a press conference at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.