Trump-owned Turnberry won’t host The Open until the R&A is 'convinced' the focus will be on golf

ByRichard Newman

Published 11/01/2021 at 17:07 GMT

The R&A won’t consider the course at Turnberry, owned by outgoing US president Donald Trump, on its rotation for The Open until it is “convinced that the focus will be on the championship” and not the man himself. Trump National has also been stripped of the 2022 US PGA Championship.

Donald Trump’s Turnberry course in Ayrshire won’t host The Open until organisers the R&A are “convinced that the focus will be on the championship”.

The move follows the outgoing US President’s Trump National venue in New Jersey being stripped of the 2022 US PGA Championship, with the PGA of America saying it would be “detrimental” to its brand.

The US House of Representatives is going ahead with legislation to try and impeach Mr Trump, after supporters stormed the Capitol last week.

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Turnberry, which was bought by Mr Trump in 2014, last hosted the Major tournament in 2009, but the R&A has now decided it will not stage the prestigious event any time soon.

“We had no plans to stage any of our championships at Turnberry and will not do so in the foreseeable future”, said R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers.

We will not return until we are convinced that the focus will be on the championship, the players and the course itself and we do not believe that is achievable in the current circumstances.

Donald Trump at Turnberry in 2018

Image credit: Getty Images

It is not clear if the R&A will only consider Turnberry again if there is a change of ownership, or if it is waiting for the dust to settle.

Meanwhile, the PGA Tour of America did not directly refer to recent events in Washington in its statement, only saying its hosting of the 2022 PGA Championship would damage its brand and “put at risk the PGA's ability to deliver our many programmes and sustain the longevity of our mission.”

In response, the Trump Organisation said in a statement: "We have had a beautiful partnership with the PGA of America and are incredibly disappointed with their decision.

"This is a breach of a binding contract and they have no right to terminate the agreement.

"As an organisation we have invested many, many millions of dollars in the 2022 PGA Championship at Trump National Golf Club, Bedminster."

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