The Cadillac Championship is making a thunderous return to South Florida at Trump National Doral, and with it comes a swirl of history, politics, prestige, and more than a hint of unfinished business.
Cadillac Reclaims Its Place at Trump Doral
A decade after Cadillac pulled its sponsorship from the PGA Tour’s World Golf Championship event at Trump National Doral, a move that ultimately pushed the event out of Miami and into Mexico, the brand is back, and so is the name: the Cadillac Championship. In 2026, from April 27 to May 3, the Blue Monster will roar again under the weight of a $20 million Signature Event.
This is not just a nostalgic revival. It’s a recalibration of golf’s shifting alliances and power centers. Cadillac’s return, and specifically its alignment with Doral, signals more than just a high-stakes tournament; it’s a strategic recommitment to a venue that, for over half a century, was synonymous with elite golf.
Trump National Doral, now one of three Florida courses owned by Donald Trump, was once a regular stop on the Tour, hosting the Doral Open and its successors from 1962 until the curtain fell in 2016. That finale, the WGC-Cadillac Championship, was won by Adam Scott, closing a chapter punctuated by Tiger Woods’ four memorable wins on the Blue Monster.
Political Fallout Still Lingers
The Tour’s divorce from Doral was steeped in politics and controversy. After the 2016 event, the tournament moved to Mexico City, prompting sharp rebukes from Trump, who decried the decision as political and short-sighted. In the years since, Doral has become a key venue for the LIV Golf series, the Saudi-funded league that disrupted the sport’s status quo and further widened the wedge between Trump and the PGA Tour.
But now, with Doral absent from the LIV schedule in 2026, the Tour is seizing the opportunity to replant its flag on Miami soil.
“Cadillac and Doral were always a strong pairing,” PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp said. “This return is more than symbolic. It’s part of a new chapter.”
No Peace Yet Between PGA Tour and LIV
Still, not everything is as it was. Despite two private meetings hosted by Trump in 2025 to broker peace between the PGA Tour and LIV, negotiations remain stalled. The infamous “framework agreement” announced in 2023 has yet to bear fruit.
Even so, the return of the Cadillac Championship to Doral serves as a symbolic shift. The venue will not inherit its predecessors’ record books or official legacy, but its history is undeniable. The fairways remain the same. The echoes of Tiger’s fist pumps, of Scott’s final charge, of decades of world-class golf — they’re all still there.
And come 2026, the roar of the Blue Monster won’t just be nostalgic. It will be loud, current, and very much alive again.
