Donald Trump dealt huge golf blow despite $100M | Sports News

Donald Trump has suffered an anticipated setback, as a golf course he claims to have invested more than $100 million in is not going to host the 2028 Open Championship, whereas Rory McIlroy’s needs had been additionally left unfulfilled.

The R&A has but to formally announce the situation of the 2028 Open, however studies point out that Turnberry, Trump’s Scottish course, is not going to be chosen. Despite being a prestigious course in its own proper, Turnberry failed to fulfill the Open’s necessities regarding transportation and lodging infrastructure, even with Trump’s personal intervention — an end result the R&A had beforehand signaled was possible.

Royal Lytham and St. Annes is now the frontrunner to host the Open in 2028, which might mark the venue’s return to the rotation for the primary time in over a decade, in line with The Telegraph.

During his go to to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in July 2025, Trump launched into an surprising monologue about his efforts to renovate Turnberry, which he bought for $60 million in 2014.

“If you looked at this building – if you came here 14-15 years ago, we’ve had it a long time, it’s been an honor to have Turnberry,” he said on the time. “But I wanted much more opulent walls, ceilings, and floors. We had to do those, and we did a very great job. I mean, you see how beautiful it is inside, everything was saved. Everything was preserved.”

“We had ceilings that were in bad shape, they were falling down, very old, wasn’t properly maintained. Now it’s brand new and beautiful, and we saved everything.

“Now that is a model new building, however if you happen to look outdoors, it is equally opulent and delightful. We did not do this by spending a whole bunch of hundreds of thousands of {dollars}.”

Meanwhile, Muirfield has also been passed over despite receiving backing from Rory McIlroy in previous years. Regarded as one of the most prestigious courses in the world, Muirfield has hosted 16 Opens, though it was required to provide improved practice facilities and expanded spectator areas to accommodate bigger crowds.

The last time Muirfield staged the Open was over a decade ago, and the 36-year-old feels the renowned course is long overdue a return.

“Muirfield deserves to be back on the Open rota,” McIlroy told reporters, according to Today’s Golfer. “They rectified the problems that they had. It’s a fantastic course. It’s one of the best programs on the rota and within the U.Ok.

“But I think, as well, it has to commercially make sense. I think [new RandA chief executive] Mark Darbon has been brought in to make The Open Championship commercially viable.” He added: “I would say Muirfield – that North Berwick area – would probably be one of the more commercially viable Opens. It would be wonderful if it was. I’m not privy to those conversations, but Muirfield deserves to be back on The Open rota.”