Politics at Play? Trump’s Hopes for Men’s Open at Turnberry Snubbed by Scotland’s Finest

President Trump has spent millions building and acquiring some of the world’s most celebrated golf properties. But the announcement by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews that Carnoustie, not the president’s famed Turnberry, will host the 2029 British Open Championship ensures a men’s major won’t be held at one of his courses anytime soon.Carnoustie, situated along Scotland’s Angus coast, last welcomed the tournament in 2018 when Francesco Molinari held off a star-studded field including Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods to claim the Claret Jug. Its selection for 2029 effectively closes the door on another opportunity for Turnberry before the end of the decade. Next year’s British Open will take place at St Andrews, with Royal Lytham and St. Annes securing the hosting rights for 2028.“Carnoustie is a world-class championship venue where some of golf’s greatest players have lifted the Claret Jug, and the return of the Open to these famous links after more than a decade will give fans the opportunity to be part of another memorable chapter in the championship’s history.” the CEO of the R&A, Mark Darbon, said in a press release.Whether Mr. Trump’s controversial political profile influenced Turnberry being repeatedly passed over since he purchased the course for approximately $60 million in 2014, is up for debate despite Mr. Darbon’s practical explanations for its rejection. Turnberry’s Ailsa Course is widely regarded as among the finest links layout in the world. Yet, it hasn’t hosted the Open since 2009 when Tom Watson famously came within one putt of winning the Claret Jug at age 59 before losing to Stewart Cink in a playoff.The R&A has consistently pointed to practical considerations for not selecting Turnberry in recent years, including the infrastructure necessary to accommodate the enormous crowds that attend a modern Open. “The last time we were at Turnberry in 2009, we had 120,000 people there,” Mr. Darbon said. “These days a modern Open caters for 250,000 people-plus, and so we need the road and rail infrastructure to get our fan base there.”He added, “We are grateful to Carnoustie’s ownership and management, the Scottish Government and local authorities for their support in bringing the Open back to Angus and look forward to another memorable championship in 2029.”The snubbing of Turnberry comes at a time when Mr. Trump is planning to overhaul the East Potomac Golf Links at Washington D.C., a federally owned facility. Among the benefits of redesigning the course, according to Mr. Trump, is to make it suitable for hosting major championship golf tournaments.Plans revealed this week indicate the redesigned layout will be the longest in the nation, replacing its three courses with a single course, measuring 8,463 yards. The renovation is set to begin November 15 when the property closes for an estimated 15 months.Building a course suitable for hosting a major championship doesn’t ensure it will ever host one. A Trump-owned course has never hosted a men’s major championship that wasn’t a senior event. The 2022 PGA Championship was originally scheduled to be played at Trump National Golf Club at Bedminster, New Jersey, but the event was moved to Southern Hills Country Club at Tulsa following the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021.Trump Bedminster hosted the 2017 U.S. Women’s Open, while the 2017 Senior PGA Championship was held at Trump National at Washington D.C. The 2015 Women’s British Open was held at Trump International Golf Links at Aberdeen, Scotland.The scheduling of the 2029 British Open at Carnoustie ensures a Trump-owned course won’t have a chance to be selected for as a men’s major championship until well after Mr. Trump’s departure from the White House.The U.S. Open has its schedule set through 2042 with Pebble Beach on tap next year and Winged Foot in 2028 followed by Pinehurst in 2029. The PGA Championship is mapped out through 2035 with no Trump-owned courses designated for play.The site for the 2030 British Open remains undetermined.

Politics at Play? Trump’s Hopes for Men’s Open at Turnberry Snubbed by Scotland’s Finest

Politics at Play? Trump’s Hopes for Men’s Open at Turnberry Snubbed by Scotland’s Finest

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