No PGA Tour stop at Trump National Doral Miami

[DeadMan]

2 hours ago, newtogolf said:

Yeah, send the tournament to gang controlled Mexico City, one of the most dangerous places to visit for Americans and Europeans.  If they were going to hold it outside the US, it should have been someplace in Europe, Mexico City is a horrible choice.  

So did you even try to read anything else posted in the thread or did you just really need to spout off some ignorance this morning?

There are multiple American cities that are more dangerous than Mexico City - Chicago and New Orleans, for example. One of the most dangerous places to visit for Americans and Europeans? Give me a break. It doesn't even hold a candle to Caracas or Guatemala City. Or, again, Chicago or New Orleans.

[Mr. Desmond]

I think the change is business.

When the title sponsor is putting out millions to shout its BRAND for a week, it does not want to compete with TRUMP and his brand; and yes, the reality is that Trump also brings controversy, and the major title sponsor does not want    potential negative pub during its $$$$ week.

Comes as no real surprise that it was difficult to find a new title sponsor. I think it's humorous that the event went to Mexico -- funny as heck. SNL couldn't do any better. lol.

At the same time, it is sad for that area to lose that money for charity and the temporary bump of infusion of money into the city. But a high probability exists that the PGA will return to Miami, just not as a WGC event.

And many players did not like Trump's renovation of Doral -- bomber's paradise. He might want to rethink ... 

Edited June 2, 2016 by Mr. Desmond

[jamo]

http://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/donald-trumps-politics-not-blame-pga-tour-leaving

Quote

Trump reacted to the news Tuesday night with a comment about the Tour needing kidnapping insurance for the move. Asked about that, Finchem responded, “One of our people told us this morning that we already have kidnapping insurance. I haven’t inquired about the details, but I made a point that it’s something we might not want to advertise.”

 

[DeadMan]

9 minutes ago, jamo said:

http://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/donald-trumps-politics-not-blame-pga-tour-leaving

Uhhhh, you just advertised it there, Hoss.

Also from that article:

Salinas was charged in 2005 by the Security & Exchange Commission in a complicated case of self-dealing in which he made a $109 million profit. In a settlement in which he didn’t admit guilt, Salinas paid a $7.5 million fine and was banned for five years from being the head of any U.S. listed company. He's worth an estimated $8 billion.

That's the guy that's bankrolling the new event. You'd think if they're trying to move away from Trump, they'd shy away from someone with a history like that. I guess money talks.

[Chilli Dipper]

56 minutes ago, DeadMan said:

Uhhhh, you just advertised it there, Hoss.

Also from that article:

 

 

That's the guy that's bankrolling the new event. You'd think if they're trying to move away from Trump, they'd shy away from someone with a history like that. I guess money talks.

Look at how many PGA Tour sponsors come from the financial services industry. If the only such company the tour disavowed after the 2008 crisis was the one led by that Stanford guy who was operating a Ponzi scheme we'd be talking about today if it weren't for Bernie Madoff, they aren't going to shy away from this guy. "The CEO of this sponsor has done some shady financial deals" is a different can of worms than "the owner of the host course is building a political career on routine inflammatory remarks toward Hispanics and Muslims, and we can't attract a respectable sponsor to a tournament we organize because multinationals with heavy operations in Latin America and the Middle East don't want to be associated with that."

[Elmer]

 

http://www.sbnation.com/golf/2016/6/2/11839402/rory-mcilroy-wgc-mexico-championship-donald-trump-pga-tour

"They’re called the World Golf Championship for a reason," he said. "I always felt that having three of them in the United States wasn't really spreading the game. So I think that's good news, you're getting at least one of those outside the States." -Rory

Rory has a point!

[Chilli Dipper]

4 minutes ago, Elmer said:

 

http://www.sbnation.com/golf/2016/6/2/11839402/rory-mcilroy-wgc-mexico-championship-donald-trump-pga-tour

"They’re called the World Golf Championship for a reason," he said. "I always felt that having three of them in the United States wasn't really spreading the game. So I think that's good news, you're getting at least one of those outside the States." -Rory

Rory has a point!

He also got in a good line at the press conference about having to jump over the wall to play there.

[Elmer]

10 minutes ago, Chilli Dipper said:

He also got in a good line at the press conference about having to jump over the wall to play there.

I am wondering if they could incorporate wall jumping into a World Golf Championship preliminary event?

[Chilli Dipper]

Just now, Elmer said:

I am wondering if they could incorporate wall jumping into a World Golf Championship preliminary event?

This is a golf tournament, not a decathlon!

[Elmer]

14 minutes ago, Chilli Dipper said:

This is a golf tournament, not a decathlon!

1:18 mark!
"you know what the problem with golf is, there is no contact in it!"

I know, I know, worst golf movie ever!!!!!!

[70sSanO]

I'm sure that the move is a combination of a lot of things already mentioned.  But what I think will be interesting is what type of fan base support there will be to attend the event in Mexico City.  Not trying to bash Mexico City... a PGA player blip is one thing, but how many average fans are going to venture down there.

I haven't done that much research on crime rates, but it seems that Mexico City has had a real spike in crime in the last year or so.  What I don't know is the prosecution rate for crimes in Mexico City, or the geographic crime areas of any number of cities.  Then again the Olympics are going to be in Rio.

The problem with raw statistics are, unless they are laid out over the geographic location there is no way to compare the numbers.  Having massively high crime limited to a couple square miles vs. a moderate level over a larger area are two totally different definitions of safety.  You just can't look at a crime rate and assume that it reflects the entire city and I haven't taken the time (and won't) to really look at crime reporting areas for Mexico City and Rio.  You bet there is high crime in the US, but I'm pretty certain we will never see an East St. Louis Open anytime soon.

John

Edited June 2, 2016 by 70sSanO

[4GSwag]

From https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertswarnings/mexico-travel-warning.html

Quote

Mexico Travel Warning

Estado de Mexico: Toluca and Teotihuacan are major travel destinations in Estado de Mexico - Exercise caution in the State of Mexico. Due to high rates of crime and insecurity, defer non-essential travel to the municipalities of Coacalco, Ecatepec, Nezahualcoyotl, La Paz, Valle del Chalco, Solidaridad, Chalco, Ixtapaluca, and Tlatlaya, which are portions of the greater Mexico City metropolitan area, located just to the east of the Federal District of Mexico and Benito Juarez airport, unless traveling directly through the areas on major thoroughfares. Defer non-essential travel on any roads between Huitzilac, Morelos and Santa Martha, Estado de Mexico, including the Lagunas de Zempoala National Park and surrounding areas. Please see above for general conditions for travel in Mexico. 

I can't speak for any Top 64 player, or whatever a WGC field is, but if the US Department of State is telling you to stay the heck out of some place, then this is not rumor and innuendo pushing an agenda; this is a legitimate threat to your person.

And anyone who thinks this wasn't politically motivated, I've got some beach front property in Nevada to sell you.

Look, I'm no Trump supporter.  If anything, I think the man is incredibly dangerous and a lightning rod of constant controversy, but I have long ties to Miami, having grown up there and been to many a Doral PGA event back in the 80's when life was a little less stressful.  If you think Finchem isn't pulling this event and moving it based on nothing more than trying to get away from Trump, then you'd be naive at best.  This isn't about money, because last I read somewhere, Cadillac was happy to keep ponying up the money for this event.

I will say this, Finchem is doing everything he can to leave a trail in his wake before "retiring".  And frankly, his retirement can't come soon enough.  Between this and the Vijay Singh episode, Finchem needs to find a beach somewhere far away and just leave.

[GolfLug]

31 minutes ago, 4GSwag said:

From https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertswarnings/mexico-travel-warning.html

I can't speak for any Top 64 player, or whatever a WGC field is, but if the US Department of State is telling you to stay the heck out of some place, then this is not rumor and innuendo pushing an agenda; this is a legitimate threat to your person.

And anyone who thinks this wasn't politically motivated, I've got some beach front property in Nevada to sell you.

Look, I'm no Trump supporter.  If anything, I think the man is incredibly dangerous and a lightning rod of constant controversy, but I have long ties to Miami, having grown up there and been to many a Doral PGA event back in the 80's when life was a little less stressful.  If you think Finchem isn't pulling this event and moving it based on nothing more than trying to get away from Trump, then you'd be naive at best.  This isn't about money, because last I read somewhere, Cadillac was happy to keep ponying up the money for this event.

I will say this, Finchem is doing everything he can to leave a trail in his wake before "retiring".  And frankly, his retirement can't come soon enough.  Between this and the Vijay Singh episode, Finchem needs to find a beach somewhere far away and just leave.

You make good points, but when a business does something 'politically motivated' is because in the end, in effect, they want to avoid bad business (in their perspective, right or wrong). PGA is a for-profit agency and this move, even if via a political motive, IS about money. It is their highest calling and all roads lead to it.

 

[Dave2512]

They aren't going to have any issues staying at a resort. The warnings say not to go to gambling establishments, adult entertainment venues and not travel back roads. People do get jacked in Mexico but they aren't getting snatched off the patio at Sandals or whatever.

[Golfingdad]

28 minutes ago, Dave2512 said:

The warnings say not to go to gambling establishments, adult entertainment venues and not travel back roads.

Things that most would be wise to avoid in many other places too.  Perhaps Malaysia, China, (eastern) Mexico, Honolulu, Puerto Rico, New Orleans, Memphis, Baltimore, Vegas, Reno, Brazil, ...

All places that the PGA Tour guys will already be going to, or have been going for many years.

[Chilli Dipper]

The top international players are probably amused by the idea that Mexico City is too dangerous of a place for a tour stop. It's no less safe than Johannesburg, Bangkok, or Hong Kong, to name three cities that regularly appear on the European Tour schedule.

[Dave2512]

2 minutes ago, Golfingdad said:

Things that most would be wise to avoid in many other places too.  Perhaps Malaysia, China, (eastern) Mexico, Honolulu, Puerto Rico, New Orleans, Memphis, Baltimore, Vegas, Reno, Brazil, ...

All places that the PGA Tour guys will already be going to, or have been going for many years.

Yep some of those warnings come with a healthy dose of duh. I've been mugged once and I was where I shouldn't have been, and I knew it before I went. Play with fire get burned.

[jamo]

1 hour ago, 4GSwag said:

From https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertswarnings/mexico-travel-warning.html

I can't speak for any Top 64 player, or whatever a WGC field is, but if the US Department of State is telling you to stay the heck out of some place, then this is not rumor and innuendo pushing an agenda; this is a legitimate threat to your person.

And anyone who thinks this wasn't politically motivated, I've got some beach front property in Nevada to sell you.

Look, I'm no Trump supporter.  If anything, I think the man is incredibly dangerous and a lightning rod of constant controversy, but I have long ties to Miami, having grown up there and been to many a Doral PGA event back in the 80's when life was a little less stressful.  If you think Finchem isn't pulling this event and moving it based on nothing more than trying to get away from Trump, then you'd be naive at best.  This isn't about money, because last I read somewhere, Cadillac was happy to keep ponying up the money for this event.

I will say this, Finchem is doing everything he can to leave a trail in his wake before "retiring".  And frankly, his retirement can't come soon enough.  Between this and the Vijay Singh episode, Finchem needs to find a beach somewhere far away and just leave.

Do you have a link? Otherwise, it's just someone on the internet saying "trust me, I read something about it once." So...