PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem insisted the decision to stage the tournament in Mexico City from next year was driven by a failure to find a sponsor rather than politics.
However Finchem admitted that presumptive Republican US Presidential nominee Trump's larger-than-life profile created "difficulties" when it came to attracting a sponsor.
"Donald Trump is a brand, a big brand, and when you're asking a company to invest millions of dollars in branding a tournament and they're going to share that brand with the host, it's a difficult conversation," Finchem said.
"From a political point of view, we are neutral, PGA Tour has never been involved in presidential politics.
"The politics might have contributed some since he has been running, and he (Trump) knows that."
Finchem said the PGA Tour had explained the move to Trump on Tuesday.
"He is clearly disappointed that we are leaving," Finchem said.
Trump lashed the decision in a statement on Wednesday, comparing the PGA Tour to US companies who moved factories to Mexico to take advantage of cheaper labor.
