PGA won't pull events from North Carolina over HB2 law due to charitable impact

Professional golf will be played in North Carolina next year.

PGA commissioner Tim Finchem said Tuesday that the tour "is squarely with those other organizations that have taken a public stance" against North Carolina's controversial House Bill 2 legislation, but won't pull tournaments from the state due to their charitable impact, writes ESPN's Jason Sobel.

The annual Wells Fargo Championship is played in Charlotte (though the 2017 edition will be played in Wilmington), and the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro. Next year's PGA Championship will be played at Quail Hollow -also in Charlotte - regularly the site of the Wells Fargo Championship.

"We are not, however, inclined to join (other organizations) by pulling our tournament. And the reason for that is quite simply, that tournament raises about $1.5 million right now for the Teach for America program in the inner city of Charlotte," Finchem added. "Nobody else is going to put that money up.

"We'll be vocal about the legislation, but we're not going to interrupt a unique program that's doing the great work it's doing in the city of Charlotte."

The NBA pulled the 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte due to the legislation, which has been criticized for discriminating against LGBT people. The law, colloquially called the "Bathroom Bill," requires transgender people to use the washroom corresponding to the sex on their birth certificates.

The NCAA also pulled numerous championship events from the state, including the ACC football title game.

Finchem said the PGA strives to better the communities it plays in, and that means tournaments scheduled in North Carolina will continue.