Dennis RomeroL.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti is excited.
The Los Angeles Country Club in Holmby Hills was selected as the location of the 2023 U.S. Open of golf. It'll mark the 75th anniversary of the nation's most prestigious golf tournament.
There's one problem: Donald Trump.
Following his remarks last month that Mexican immigrants are criminals and rapists, pressure from Latino groups forced the PGA to drop plans to hold the Grand Slam of Golf at the Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles in Rancho Palos Verdes this October.
But the pressure didn't end there. And pro golf didn't completely cut ties with Trump.
The National Hispanic Media Coalition said recently that it wants the LPGA, the PGA Tour and the USGA “to end their relationships with Trump and the Trump Organization.”
The U.S. Open is owned and organized by the United States Golf Association (USGA), which has selected the Trump National Bedminster course as the site of the 2017 U.S. Women's Open.
The Pasadena-based NHMC isn't letting that stand. So it will be interesting to see if L.A.'s selection as the site of the 2023 U.S. Open will go unchallenged. One out of every two people in Los Angeles County is Latino.
Trump has tried to redefine his comments, saying they were aimed at the Mexican government. NHMC CEO Alex Nogales isn't having it.
He was talking about the Mexican people, not the Mexican government. By attempting to change the narrative, he insults us further and gives us little choice but to continue our campaign against him and his brand.
The organization wants future Grand Slam events pulled from Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles, and it wants the 2022 PGA Championship and the 2017 Senior PGA Championship moved from the GOP presidential candidate's venues.
It also notes that the following events are scheduled to take place at Trump properties:
The 2016 World Golf Championship-Cadillac Championship at Trump National Doral;
The Puerto Rico Open at Trump International Golf Club Puerto Rico;
The Barclays Championship at Trump Golf Links Ferry Point;
Ricoh Women's British Open at Trump Turnberry; and
The 2017 U.S. Women's Open at Trump National Bedminster.
Credit: Los Angeles Country Club
We reached out to the mayor's office to see if it wanted to comment on the possible Trump problem here, but we did not hear back from anyone.
Garcetti, who has touted his Mexican heritage, said this in announcing that the U.S. Open is coming to town:
Los Angeles is honored to have been selected as the site for the 2023 U.S. Open. The last time we hosted the Open was 1948, and 2023 will mark the 75th anniversary of that tournament. The United States Golf Association has made an excellent choice with the legendary Los Angeles Country Club. The U.S. Open is a proven winner, with a current economic impact of approximately $150 million, and L.A. looks forward to welcoming golfers and spectators from around the world.
“The city loves to host major events,” said John Chulick, president of the Los Angeles Country Club. “This region, not having hosted the U.S. Open for 75 years, will be ecstatic about this.”
The club also will host the USGA's 2017 Walker Cup Match, the organization stated.
The USGA says the Westside venue will be the third Southern California course to have hosted the Open. Other SoCal U.S. Open venues are Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades (1948) and Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego (2008 and 2021).
The 2023 U.S. Open is scheduled to take place June 15 through 18.
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