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Miami Championship returns to Doral
The PGA Tour will host the Miami Championship at Trump National Doral in May 2026, marking a return to the venue after a decade.
The PGA Tour will return to Doral in 2026 with the Miami Championship, a move that ties sport to sponsorship amid political sensitivity.
PGA circuit returns to Doral in 2026
The PGA Tour will bring a Signature Event back to Donald Trump’s Blue Monster course at Doral in May 2026, the Miami Championship a $20 million tournament and the 56th visit to the venue. It is the first PGA Tour event at Doral since 2016, the year Trump sought the presidency and sponsorship at the resort shifted away. The move places the Miami event at the center of a spring that now features four Signature Events and two majors within seven weeks, with the season beginning toward the Masters in April. A sponsor for the Miami Championship is expected, but not yet named, and the schedule change also reshapes how the tour navigates sponsorship and competition in a changing landscape that includes LIV Golf.
The return to Doral comes as the tour expands its Signature Events and reassesses venues amid ongoing questions about optics, sponsorship, and the role of a course tied to a political figure. The tour’s leadership describes the decision as a business matter about branding and market potential, not a political stance. The back-and-forth over Doral in 2016 highlighted tensions between sponsorship needs and political perceptions, and the tour now faces similar scrutiny as it locks in a high-profile venue and a marquee weekend in a crowded calendar.
Key Takeaways
"From a golf standpoint, we have no issues with Donald Trump. From a political standpoint, we are neutral."
Tim Finchem describing the 2016 decision to move sponsorship away from Doral
"We value dollars for our players."
Finchem on sponsorship priorities in 2016
"We’re excited to showcase the game’s greatest players competing at golf’s most iconic venues."
Brian Rolapp on the tour’s direction
"I hope officials had kidnapping insurance for the event's new Mexican host city."
Trump on the relocation of the WGC-Cadillac Championship in 2016
This move is a test of how far the PGA Tour will go to secure marquee venues while managing political optics. By returning to Doral, the Tour signals a focus on branding and sponsorship strength, even as public sentiment about Trump can complicate sponsor relationships and fan reactions. The shift also underscores a larger trend: sports leagues balancing global reach with local sensitivities, where sponsorship dollars and venue prestige must be weighed against potential backlash. The outcome will reveal how the Tour navigates a more politicalized sports environment without losing its core audience of players and fans.
Highlights
- Sponsorship rules the greens even when history weighs in
- Money talks louder than politics on the 18th
- The tee box meets headlines not just fans
- Values collide with venues as schedules shift
Political and sponsorship risk at Doral return
The decision to stage a major tour event at a Trump-owned venue places the PGA Tour under intensified political optics and sponsor scrutiny. Public reaction and investor interest could influence future venues and deals, making sponsorship decisions sensitive to broader controversy.
The season ahead will show if sport can balance business needs with public sentiment.
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