A Buffalo Bills player has canceled his charity golf tournament at one of Donald Trump’s courses in Florida, saying “numerous teams up north” pulled out because of the presidential contender’s politics.
“I was really excited for this tournament,” said Bills safety and Pro-Bowler Jordan Poyer, who was organzing next month’s event, in an Instagram video Saturday. “It was going to be at one of my favorite courses, the Blue Monster at Trump National in Doral [in Miami].
“Unfortunately, there have been a numerous amount of teams up north that have pulled out of the tournament, not just out of the tournament but also wrote e-mails to a big sponsor that was going to help sponsor my tournament, and that company now, it’s unfortunate that they have pulled out and decided that they don’t want to take part in my tourrnament, in which they took part in last year, because of where it’s at, Trump National in Doral,” said Poyer, 32, an Oregon native, as he lounged poolside in a bathing suit.
Poyer said the “big sponser” was the Erie County Medical Center, although the hospital told the Buffalo News that it was a beneficiary of the event but not a sponsor.
“ECMC decided they can no longer take the pressure from up top, from the people above them, and it probably has nothing to do with ECMC at all,” Poyer said.
“I’m really thankful and blessed to have worked with the people that I have worked with at ECMC in the past two years,” said the athlete, who lives in Miami during the off season.
“I’m not naïve. I understand where they are on the political spectrum, where New York is on the political spectrum. Do I agree with a lot of it? No, I don’t. I’m sorry, but I don’t.”
Erie County Medical Center did not respond to a request for comment from The Post.
But in a statement to the Buffalo News, the ECMC Foundation’s executive director, Susan Gonzalez, said her organization “was fortunate to be a beneficiary of Jordan Poyer’s golf tournament in Florida.
“Although the Foundation was not a sponsor, we have had an excellent partnership with Jordan and we respect his decision to cancel his tournament; we hope he will consider supporting us in his future events.”
The golf outing, scheduled for July 11, was designed to raise money to update ECMC’s fitness center for adolescents in recovery services, according to WIVB in Buffalo.
The event was to team up tournament groups with an athlete celebrity, including Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis,New York Giants wide receiver Austin Proehl and Washington Commanders linebacker Cole Holcomb, the outlet said.
The former president’s golf courses and properties have found themselves in the rough before because of his polarizing politics.
New York City canceled his contract to run the Ferry Point Golf Course in the Bronx after the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the Capitol. A judge later ruled the maneuver was illegal.
A Saudi Arabian-funded tournament at Trump’s National Golf Club Bedminster in New Jersey also has been the site of protests by survivors and family members of the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks.
Poyer promised his event would return next year.
