South Ayrshire’s world-famous Ailsa Course has improved again after latest revamp with The Championship wanted
Donald Trump is keeping the Turnberry doors wide Open.
But the US President has closed the hatch on LIV Golf for South Ayrshire with other events on the potential radar.
Trump has led the latest multi-million improvements of the world-famous Ailsa Course.
Royal and Ancient chiefs confirmed at Royal Portrush that dialogue is constant with Turnberry over the prospect of a fifth Open Championship staging at the venue in the future.
Logistical issues are cited as the main stumbling block to a return, but chief executive Mark Darbon reiterated a “love” for the course.
Trump’s new track in Aberdeen recently staged the DP World Tour’s Nexo Championship as well as the Staysure Seniors PGA Championship.
Other tournaments could be in a future mix for Turnberry, but, while The Open remains as a clear No.1 in the priority list, the road looks blocked to LIV events.
Turnberry Director of Golf Ricky Hall explained: “With Aberdeen having the legends and then I know that the DP World Tour are looking closely at Doonbeg from an Irish Open perspective, the PGA Tour just announcing them back to Doral.
“Mr Trump’s been clear all along that he would love to have the Open Championship here and he doesn’t want to do anything that derails that. That would be, obviously, his aim.
Donald Trump opened a second golf course at his Menie Estate last month(Image: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
“And, to be fair, I think there was a lot of thought at the time when LIV appeared and, obviously, went to Trump, Washington, went to Bedminster, they went to the Doral, that the automatic thought would be that there’s a good chance it would come here.
“But that was never on the radar with Mr Trump. He sees this with the Open Championship history, heritage of it, that this is where he wants to be.
“They wouldn’t discount any opportunity. And the Scottish Open, obviously an interesting one with the history of us with the Women’s British Open and the Seniors Open is something that we’re very, very open to discussing. But, obviously, the Ailsa, of course, should have the Open.”
Turnberry’s latest alterations have improved the course yet again with the backing of Trump and son Eric and Hall continued: “It’s great that they’ve got that mindset. Keep on trying to polish it. It’s every discussion that you have with Eric or Mr Trump or anything from a Trump Organisation. It’s basically: How does it become better? What can we do to make it better?
“And similarly, with the golf academy, we’ve installed Trackman Range. I think we’ve done it really nicely. “We’ve worked with Trackman, typically have radars out in the field. They’re 90 meters away from the range and the two targets. Basically, we’ve managed to have it installed in the roofline. It’s the first one that they’ve done that with.
“I think it’s just that total Golf Resort and trying to be the best golf resort that possibly can be. It’s testament to them that they keep on pushing us to do that.
“I’m Director of Golf here. I’ve been here for 25 years, but my job is really just to talk to people that play the best golf courses in the world and a lot of people that have been here year after year after year. Again, it’s just been seen as something remarkable again to keep making it better.”
