The prestigious Open Championship appears to be steering clear of President Donald Trump’s Turnberry golf resort for the foreseeable future. The decision comes after the US leader was informed that his Ayrshire venue is no longer fit to host one of golf’s major tournaments.
Turnberry has been the stage for The Open four times to date, and American Stewart Cink claimed the Claret Jug the last time it hosted the tournament in 2009. Trump acquired the resort in 2014 from Leisurecorp, a Dubai-based company, for a reported $60 million. But R&A chief executive Mark Darbon has now admitted there’s no chance for Turnberry to return as an Open venue as things stand. In his first broadcast interview since becoming head of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews in November, he cited escalating requirements for hosting a major event as the reason why the Scottish location doesn’t make the cut.
“The area where there’s a bit of challenge is around the logistical and commercial side,” Darbon said during his conversation with Sky News (via the Irish Star). “The last time we were at Turnberry in 2009 we had 120,000 people there.
“These days a modern Open caters for 250,000 people-plus, and so we need the road and rail infrastructure to get our fan base there. We need hotel accommodation for the 60,000 bed nights we need to stage our championship, and it’s challenging at that venue.”
A recent incident saw a man charged with vandalism at Turnberry after he dug up one of the greens at the Ayrshire resort, splashed red paint over a building and scrawled pro-Palestine graffiti. Darbon conceded the political implications of hosting at a Trump-owned course could also influence the decision to avoid his property.
“We need to be confident that the focus will be on the sport, and we need to ensure that the venue works for our requirement,” he added. The relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom has soured since Trump took office for the second time, leading many to speculate the historic bond between the two powers is nearing its end.
The Open is set to return to Royal Portrush in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, this summer as it hosts the competition for the third time. Irish golfer Shane Lowry was crowned champion the last time the tournament was played there in 2019, which remains his only major title to date.
Compared to other options in Britain, Turnberry is a very remote course lacking in good links for accommodation and other facilities fans require. Until these issues are addressed, the venue may no longer be considered for The Open, which has a responsibility to maximise profits in the wake of golf’s post-Covid surge in popularity.
“We work with over 140 countries around the world, and in those markets there are now more than 62million golfers, more than ever before,” added Darbon. “Some 40-odd million are playing golf regularly on nine and 18-hole golf courses, another 20 million are playing what we would call non-traditional formats like driving ranges, adventure golf, simulator golf. So the game is actually in rude health and our job is to continue to foster that and support it over time.”
Trump’s support for LIV Golf since it emerged as a rival tour in 2021 may not be doing him any favours, either. This could potentially cause friction with the four majors, which are run in collaboration with entities such as the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, direct competitors to LIV.
The business mogul has thrown his lot in with the Saudi-backed competition and will even host a stop on the LIV Golf League this year. The Trump National Doral Golf Course in Miami is set to welcome LIV back on April 4, just a week before the 2025 Masters gets underway.
