Trump’sTurnberry stays on rota

NOTHING that Donald Trump has done since becoming President of the United States has changed the prospects of his Turnberry course hosting the Open Championship, according to the R&A.

Royal St George’s was announced as the host of the 2020 Open yesterday, with the 150th edition the following year to be held at St Andrews, but Turnberry – owned by the Trump Organization – remains in contention to host golf ’s oldest major again after 2021.

Golf’s most influential organisations had previously distanced themselves from President Trump in the wake of his views on Mexican immigrants, which were expressed when the 70-year-old announced his decision to stand for the Republican nomination in 2015.

The Grand Slam of Golf was moved from Trump National in Los Angeles, while the PGA Tour switched the WGC-Cadillac Championship from Trump National Doral to Mexico City from this year. The event was renamed the WGCMexico Championship and will be staged next week.

However, Turnberry remains firmly on the Open rota, a rota set to be boosted to 10 courses if Muirfield votes to admit women members – at the second time of asking - next month.

R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said: “I said last year we were focused on Turnberry as a golf course and there has been nothing that has happened in the last year to change that.

“Turnberry remains absolutely as one of our nine golf courses. 2020 and 2021 did not involve Turnberry and we’ll not be thinking about 2022 for at least another year.

“I think it’s very important that we’re clear about what our business is, which is making sure that the Open Championship is one of the world’s greatest sporting events, and staying out of politics.