PGA of America keeps wary on US presidential hopeful Donald Trump political progress

Kohler, United States: With US presidential hopeful Donald Trump a polarizing figure even as he leads the polls, the PGA of America is treading warily while maintaining links to the Trump organization.

The PGA of America last month yanked it`s Grand Slam of Golf, featuring the year`s major champions, from Trump`s Los Angeles course in the wake of the celebrity billionaire`s controversial remarks about Mexican immigrants.

Speaking Wednesday on the eve of the PGA Championship, PGA of America chief executive Pete Bevacqua said the organization had yet to settle on a new venue for the Grand Slam of golf.

And he wouldn`t speculate on whether it would return to a Trump-owned venue should he win the presidency.

"We won`t be prognosticators here in terms of the presidential election," Bevacqua said.

"We didn`t want the Grand Slam or any one of our events, our championships, to be compromised by politics or to be any kind of a political football," he said.

"It wouldn`t be fair for anybody involved in the Grand Slam. We are certainly considering options for the Grand Slam this year and in the future. We haven`t made those decisions, it`s top of mind."

But Bevacqua noted that the PGA of America, like other golf organizations around the world, maintain ties to the Trump organization which is "certainly a factor in golf."

The real estate tycoon owns two golf courses in Scotland, part of a portfolio of 16, most of which are in the United States.

The Women`s British Open was held two weeks ago at Turnberry in Scotland, which was bought by Trump last year.

Whether Trump`s foray into politics might prompt the PGA of America to further distance itself from Trump and his golf properties remains to be seen.

"We have a relationship with the Trump organization as a golf entity, that`s what we`re focused on," Bevacqua said.

"We certainly don`t comment necessarily on presidential politics, we don`t agree with everything that`s been said or done, but we`re monitoring the situation and we made the one decision about the Grand Slam and we haven`t made really more decisions than that."