THE R&A appears to have performed a major U-turn on whether the Open could return to Trump Turnberry.
Despite being consistently rated as one of the best courses not only in the UK but in the world, the Ayrshire resort hasn’t held an Open Championship since 2009.
Previously, the reason for that was attributed to Donald Trump‘s ownership of the property.
But that stance appears to have softened, if comments by the R&A’s new chief executive are anything to go by.
The Ailsa course at Turnberry has played host to four Open Championships, including the fabled Duel in the Sun in 1977 in which Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus battled it out on the Ayrshire links.
Despite its popularity among golfers, the R&A removed it from the Open rota not long after it was bought by Trump in 2014 and his subsequent presidential run.
The reasoning was that the controversy and profile of President Trump would detract from the tournament itself.
As recently as 2021, former R&A chief Martin Slumbers said: “We will not return until we are convinced 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.”
Since being bought by Trump in 2014, £200m has been spent on upgrades across the property.
Architect Martin Ebert redesigned several of the holes, which in turn gave the Ailsa a new signature hole, the par-3 ninth.
Further changes to the seventh and eighth holes were made this year but the grand reopening was delayed after the venue was targeted by vandals.
New R&A chief Mark Darbon has proclaimed that the course is now “better than ever” and he revealed that golf‘s governing body IS looking into a potential return to Trump Turnberry.
But, there’s a catch.
While Trump’s potential influence appears to be less of a worry, whether Turnberry as a location can host an Open is in doubt.
The village of Turnberry has a population of just a few hundred and transport options are minimal, with no train station and just two main roads linking it to the bigger towns of Ayr and Girvan.
Portrush, the host of the Open this year, is of similar size to Girvan but Royal Portrush sits on the edge of the town rather than five miles away as Girvan is to Turnberry. Ayr is over 15 miles away to the north. This means accommodation could be an issue.
The hotel at Trump Turnberry is just as famous and spectacular as the golf itself but the last time the Open was held here, attendance figures were around 100,000. Around 280,000 are expected at Royal Portrush.
Darbon was quizzed about the prospect of Turnberry being put back on the Open rota at a media day to promote this summer‘s tournament.
He told reporters that a feasibility study is underway to determine if it would be possible.
Darbon said: “The golf course is magnificent. If anything, it’s better now than it ever has been, given some of the improvements that have been made to the course.
“But there are some challenges around the road and rail network, some of the accommodation provision in the surrounding area.
“So we’re doing some feasibility work around what it would look like to return to that venue and the investment that it would require.
“What we know for sure is the golf course is brilliant, so at some point we’d love to be back there.
“We consistently work with our venues and their owners and operators to talk about what an Open Championship demands and how we work with them to bring that to life.”
But Darbon added: “Of course, when it comes to a Championship like this, we want the focus to be on the golf and that is a factor too.”
It’s been reported by the BBC that UK government officials have recently asked the R&A about its position on Trump Turnberry, particularly in the wake of the US president’s new policy on tariffs.
This coming summer, prices for rounds on the Ailsa will skyrocket, making it one of the most expensive courses in the UK to play.
Trump’s other facility in Scotland, Trump International Golf Links, could be welcoming a DP World Tour event in the near future.
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