Donald Trump’s Turnberry Scottish golf course is ‘BLACK LISTED from hosting The Open until he sells’, with organizers worried protests will become a distraction
Donald Trump’s Turnberry golf course in Scotland may not hold The Open until the former president sells his resort, reports say.
The 45th President purchased the course in 2014, five years after the legendary competition was last held, and is keen to see the tournament return to its Ayrshire venue.
Speaking GB News in early May, during his visit to the track, Trump claimed that “everyone here wants to see the Open championship,” adding that only a few “minor adjustments” would be needed to get the track ready.
Per the Telegraphthe tournament’s organizing body, the R&A firmly believe that Turnberry will remain out of contention as host.
The prospective 2024 presidential nominee is believed to have been told that his course would not be eligible for the honor following the January 2021 attack on the Capitol, due to the perceived threat of potential protests at the event.
Donald Trump’s Turnberry Golf Course is not being considered as a potential host of The Open until the former president sells the estate
Trump visited the track in May and was eager to pitch the venue to tournament organizers
A source within the company stressed that the position was “unchanged”, adding: “We have no plans to host any of our championships there in the near future and will not be returning until we are confident the focus will be on the championship, the players and the course itself’.
Another added: ‘As it stands now he should sell before anything changes’.
The lasting decision will come as a blow to the former president, who is all too eager to flaunt his ties to the R&A.
In the interview with GB News, Trump shared that he had recently invested heavily in redeveloping the course on the advice of the company’s former CEO, Peter Dawson.
“It’s done with a great architect,” Trump said. ‘A great golf architect recommended by Peter Dawson. I said give me the best and (that’s) Martin Grant Hawtree. He’s a great guy, a great man. What he does is these kinds of courses, he did a really great job.’
Trump had played out his ties to the R&A, but little is expected to change for the foreseeable future
The 45th president participated in a LIV golf event at his course in Washington DC in late May
As is his custom, Trump added that it was the “favorite course” of The Open players and that it was “number one in Europe.”
Trump will play host to a slew of other tournaments at his courses this year, with the PGA Senior Championship set to take place in August at his links golf course at the Menie estate in Aberdeenshire.
His courses are also closely linked to the LIV Golf circuit, with the former president hosting a number of events in the series both at his courses in the US and at Doonbeg in Co Clare.
This year’s Open will take place at the Royal Liverpool in July, marking the 13th time the Merseyside course has hosted the event.