R&A REMOVE TRUMP AS AN OPEN OPTION
DONALD Trump’s dream of staging Major championships at his golf courses was stymied yesterday when the R&A followed the l ead of t he PGA of America.
After Trump National in Bedminster, New Jersey, was stripped of the 2022 US PGA Championship on Sunday night, the R&A yesterday revealed they ‘had no plans’ to stage the Open, or any of its championships at Turnberry, another r esort owned by t he US President.
“No return in foreseeable future”
The PGA of America voted to terminate its agreement with the Trump Organization on Sunday.
‘It has become clear that conducting the PGA Championship at Trump Bedminster would be detrimental to the PGA of America brand,’ said PGA of America president Jim Richerson.
Turnberry, has not been selected to stage the Open Championship by the R&A since Trump bought the Ayrshire resort in 2014.
While Turnberry has hosted the Open on four occasions between 1977 and 2009, the R&A won’t be returning ‘for the foreseeable future’ according to chief executive Martin Slumbers.
‘We had no plans to stage any of our championships at Turnberry and will not do so in the foreseeable future ,’ said Slumbers.
‘We will not return until we are convinced that the focus will be on the championship, the players and the course itself and we do not believe that is achievable in the current circumstances,’ he added.
Harris English claimed his first PGA Tour victory in seven years by winning the Tournament of Champions on Sunday.
English holed a six-foot birdie putt to edge out Joaquin Niemann at Kapalua, Hawaii, after both finished on 25 under.
Defending champion Justin Thomas came third on 24 under and said Saturday’s incident, in which he was heard using a homophobic slur, had played on his mind.
English, 31, carded a fourunder 69 in the final round at the Plantation Course with Chilean Niemann, 22, shooting 64.
Meanwhile, Pádraig Harrington says ‘there is no better place’ to restart the European Points list for Ryder Cup qualification than next week’s $8m Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
Europe’s captain is a confirmed participant alongside fell ow Major champions Rory McIlroy, Thomas, Martin Kaymer, Shane Lowry, Graeme McDowell, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson and Danny Willett in a world-class field.
‘I’m excited to return to competitive golf at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship,’ said Harrington.
‘It’s a tournament which has always been incredibly important to the European Tour, especially now forming part of the Rolex Series.’
World No 10 Tyrrell Hatton and 2020 DP World Tour Championship champion Matthew Fitzpatrick are also confirmed to tee it up in the United Arab Emirates, alongside Ryder Cup heroes Tommy Fleetwood, Ian Poulter, victorious 2018 European captain Thomas Bjorn and def e nding c hampion Lee Westwood.
The 1 2 - man European team to play the USA in Whistling Straits, Wisconsin, will comprise the first four players f rom the European Points list, followed by the top five players from the World Points list.
Harrington has three wild card picks to complete his line-up.