Turnberry’s prospects of hosting The Open Championship in 2020, or any other date in the near future, have been dealt a dramatic blow after a report published in the Independent newspaper on December 12 said that the R&A was considering suspending the famous Scottish links venue from the Open rota following outspoken comments made by the resort’s owner, US presidential candidate Donald Trump.
The report in the Independent said that following Trump’s controversial remarks regarding Muslims in the United States, ‘golf’s governing body had privately decided that his reputation is now so toxic that the Trump Turnberry can no longer host the game’s most prestigious tournament’.
The R&A has not issued a public statement on the matter, and would not normally confirm the venue for 2020 until the middle of next year at the earliest. It announced Royal Portrush as the host venue for the 2019 Open only two months ago.
Turnberry has hosted four Opens, the most recent of which was in 2009, and was likely to host a fifth in 2020. Trump, who bought the resort in April 2014, has instigated a major renovation of the Ailsa Course, with the changes, conducted with advice from the R&A, designed to help bring The Open back to Turnberry.
Trump’s inflammatory remarks are expected to have further ramifications within golf, with the PGA Tour reported to be considering an alternative venue for the WGC-Cadillac Championship, which is hosted at Trump National Doral in Florida.