Trump Turnberry respond to latest Open Championship snub

Trump Turnberry have sent a message to the R&A after the governing body reiterated that the resort will continue to be kept off the Open rota.

Trump Turnberry say they will “be ready” when the R&A gives them the green light to host The Open again.

The defiant standpoint comes shortly after the R&A reiterated its stance that the Ayrshire resort is currently not under consideration to host golf’s oldest major again.

Turnberry has hosted The Open on four occasions. The first of which, in 1977, saw one of the most nail-biting finishes with what was later named the Duel in the Sun between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus. The most recent also featured Watson, who, just two months shy of his 60th birthday in 2009, lost out in a playoff to Stewart Cink.  

But the stunning Ailsa course hasn’t been in the R&A’s plans since Donald Trump, the current US president, acquired the property in 2014.

Then R&A chief executive, Martin Slumbers, reiterated a number of times that The Open would not return to Turnberry if the main focus was not on the championship. “We cannot allow external media noise to overshadow what remains the original and most historic championship in golf,” he explained. “The tournament’s integrity demands that golf alone commands the spotlight.”

Slumbers’ successor, Mark Darbon, has added there are other considerations.

Speaking to the Telegraph, Darbon explained that “the reality is a modern-day Open requires a venue that can support us logistically and commercially.”

He added: “That’s crucial for us because, through The Open, we generate most of our revenue and we use that to invest in the rest of the game all around the world.”

And while Darbon recognized the progress Turnberry has made since Trump took over, it’s difficult to overlook the fact that the 2009 Open was only able to accommodate 123,000 fans through the week.

“We are operating at comfortably more than double that at most of our venues today,” he added. “So it’s not quite as simple as saying, ‘Would we go back?’ There’s a chunk of work that’s required to investigate.”

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TG reached out to Trump Turnberry general manager Nic Oldham, who also reiterated that the club’s “position has not changed”.

He added: “We will continue to invest and develop the resort, especially the Ailsa course, and will be happy to host events when the R&A feel it is appropriate for them.

“We will be ready and give the players the best golfing experience and the spectators the best viewing experience they can have in golf when the time is right.”

Trump Turnberry, which came second in our recent Top 100 Golf Resorts in Britain and Ireland rundown, remains blacklisted by the R&A, has made significant changes to the 7th, 8th and 13th holes on the Ailsa this winter. The changes were overseen by Martin Ebert of renowned architects Mackenzie & Ebert, described the work as “very special”.