OPEN AND SHUT
R& A and European Tour won’t use Trump courses
DONALD TRUMP’S golf empire was dealt a major blow yesterday when Trump National was stripped of the 2022 US PGA Championship.
The outgoing US President al so owns a number of courses outside the States but it appears that renowned Scottish links Turnberry –which hosted four Open Championships before it was bought by Trump in 2014 – will not play host to that major any time soon.
A spokesperson for the European Tour also confirmed that it has no plans to add a Trump course to their schedule.
Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg, Co Clare, is rated as the 23rd- best course in this country by Golf Digest but it won’t host an Irish Open for the foreseeable future.
New venues have hosted their first Irish Opens in each of the last five years, including L ah inch, which is a 30- minute drive from Trump’s Doonbeg course.
But when asked about the prospect of an Irish Open at Trump Doonbeg, a European Tour spokesperson said: “There are no Trump courses as host venue son our 2021 schedule and there are no plans to add one in the foreseeable future.”
Open Championship organ is er st he R& A also released a statement outlining their position.
“We had no plans to stage any of our championships at Turnberry and will not do so in the foreseeable future ,” said R& A chief Martin Slumbers in a statement.
“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.”
The Trump Organization reacted angrily to the news that its Bedminster, New Jersey course would not host the US PGA Championship next year.
“This is a breach of a binding contract and they have no right to terminate the agreement,” a spokesperson said.
“As an organisation we have invested millions of dollars in the 2022 PGA Championship at Trump National Golf Club, Bed minster. We will continue to promote the game of golf on ever y level and remain focused on operating the finest golf courses anywhere in the world.”