Donald Trump’s crushing blow after Open | Sports News

The Open Championship appears to be avoiding President Donald Trump’s Turnberry golf resort for the time being. This comes after the US chief was knowledgeable that his Ayrshire venue is no longer appropriate to host one of golf’s main tournaments.

Turnberry has been the backdrop for The Open 4 occasions to date, with American Stewart Cink taking home the Claret Jug the final time it hosted the match in 2009. Trump bought the resort in 2014 from Leisurecorp, a Dubai-based company, for a reported $60 million.

However, R&A chief govt Mark Darbon has now conceded that there is no alternative for Turnberry to return as an Open venue below present circumstances. In his first broadcast interview since turning into head of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews in November, he pointed to growing necessities for internet hosting a main occasion as the explanation why the Scottish location would not make the grade.

“The area where there’s a bit of challenge is around the logistical and commercial side,” Darbon stated during his dialog with Sky News. “The last time we were at Turnberry in 2009 we had 120,000 people there.

“These days a fashionable Open caters for 250,000 people-plus, and so we need the highway and rail infrastructure to get our fan base there. We need resort lodging for the 60,000 mattress nights we need to stage our championship, and it is difficult at that venue.”

A recent incident at Turnberry, an Ayrshire resort, resulted in a man being charged with vandalism after he dug up one of the greens, splashed red paint over a building and scrawled pro-Palestine graffiti. Darbon acknowledged that the political implications of hosting at a Trump-owned course could also influence the decision to avoid his property. Trump Turnberry in Scotland has been targeted by protesters who vandalized the greens and spray painted the clubhouse.

“We need to be assured that the main focus will probably be on the game, and we need to make sure that the venue works for our requirement,” Darbon added. The relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom has soured since Trump took office for the second time, leading many to speculate the historic bond between the two powers is nearing its end.

The Open is set to return to Royal Portrush in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, this summer as it hosts the competition for the third time. Irish golfer Shane Lowry was crowned champion the last time the tournament was played there in 2019, which remains his only major title to date.

Compared to other options in Britain, Turnberry is a very remote course lacking in good links for accommodation and other facilities fans require. Until these issues are addressed, the venue may no longer be considered for The Open, which has a responsibility to maximise profits in the wake of golf’s post-Covid surge in popularity.

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“We work with over 140 international locations all over the world, and in these markets there are actually more than 62million golfers, more than ever earlier than,” Darbon noted. “Some 40-odd million are taking part in golf often on 9 and 18-hole golf programs, one other 20 million are taking part in what we might call non-traditional codecs like driving ranges, journey golf, simulator golf. So the sport is definitely in impolite health and our job is to proceed to foster that and help it over time.”

President Trump’s affiliation with LIV Golf since its inception as a competing tour in 2021 may additionally be counterproductive. The presence at 4 main tournaments, that are operated in alliance with organizations just like the PGA Tour and DP World Tour—opponents of LIV—may result in rivalry.

The real estate tycoon has backed the Saudi-sponsored circuit decisively and is slated to host an occasion of the LIV Golf League this season. Trump National Doral Golf Course in Miami is scheduled to have LIV Golf return on April 4, close to the beginning of the distinguished 2025 Masters.