Kidd was CEO of SportsQuest and Greens World Wide and the US Pro Golf Tour. Here is part of the story:
"Starting in 2007, Trump was going to have his name plastered all over the USPGT's four major championships. All of them would be named after him and they would be contested at his courses in the United States with purses ranging from $1.5 million to a $5 million match play event. His total commitment would be $10.1 million. Even further, there would be a GoTrump.com Cup, presented to the player with the lowest scoring average.
"There is no doubt the talent level is among the highest in the world, and we’re pleased to be an integral part of four major championships on the USPGT schedule," said Mr. Trump.
No doubt — like everything Trump — that his name would be the centerpiece of this organization. But then suddenly, Trump took his name and his money out of the U.S. Pro Golf Tour.
In a hastily-worded release just two days into 2007, when his commitment was set to begin, Trump announced his withdrawal from the five-year agreement. He cited management changes at Greens Worldwide — the parent of the U.S. Pro Golf Tour — as the reason. According to language in his memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Pro Golf Tour, it was well within his rights.
"Although we firmly believe in what the U.S. Pro Golf Tour is doing for the game of golf by giving young professionals an international platform to showcase their talents, we've elected to exercise our option and step back until the new management presents a revised business plan," said Ashley Cooper, Senior Vice President of Acquisitions and Development for Trump Golf Properties.
The management change? Found Tom Kidd — now back with the company — left the organization and left its members high and dry after taking a $200,000 bonus.
That was basically the death knell for the U.S. Pro Golf Tour. The 2007 season was cancelled entirely and all 450 members that paid dues for the year were told that the Tour would honor those fees in 2008.
In late 2007, a management company named SportsQuest, Inc., signed on with Greens Worldwide — whose stock price was basically zero at that point — to be presenting sponsor for the entire U.S. Pro Golf Tour season for three years. Their deal ends next season. In order to attract more sponsors, the U.S. Pro Golf Tour promised the world to investors: prime time airtime, pro-am clinics, even tickets to other major events in golf.
The 2008 season was to have had five events with a total purse of $4,220,000. All events were to be played using the Trump Million Dollar Invitational format — splitting prize money between the stroke play and playoff formats. The season never got off of the ground, but USPGT player Bryan DeCorso even went on to win the Nationwide Tour's South Georgia Classic.
This season, Jefferson Starship joined the party to perform at the U.S. Pro Golf Tour's events. No joke. But, it never got going.
Even still, the U.S. Pro Golf Tour has operating agreements with SportsQuest and a broadcast production partner in EPIC Corporation. In the agreement announcement with EPIC in March 2008 — for the '09-'11 seasons that may never come — the Tour was still using Trump's name:
"The USPGT has previously conducted the TRUMP Million Dollar International televised on ESPN and ESPN Internationally."
It is tough to stop a crook and a bad business model. In fact, it was probably Trump's eye that kept him from being embarrassed even more so. Most people would never have heard about this investment decision gone awry for Donald Trump were it not for this piece."
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