The USGA considered moving this week's U.S. Women's Open from the Trump National Golf Club in New Jersey two years ago as Donald Trump's bid to run for president began to materialize, USA Today Sports has reported, citing a person with direct knowledge of a meeting in which the matter was discussed.

But the USGA was swayed under direct threat of a lawsuit from Trump, the report said.

"More than anything, it was very pre-emptive, before the storm if he did get elected president," the source told USA Today. "We were starting to get some pressure and so it was brought up and he said he would sue us if we moved it."

USGA executive director Mike Davis told members of the organization's executive committee of the threat of a potential lawsuit in a conference call, three years after the U.S. Women's Open had been awarded to Trump National.

"We can't get out of this," Davis said in the meeting, according to USA Today's source. "He's going to sue us."

Davis said in a phone call with USA Today on Monday that it would be "inappropriate if I said that it happened or that it didn't."

But Davis followed up with a statement later released to USA Today.

"As a matter of policy, the terms of our contracts with championship host sites are confidential and accordingly the USGA will not comment," Davis said in the statement. "We are excited that our U.S. Women's Open Championship week has begun and are focused on providing the ultimate test of golf for the best female players in the world."