Donald Trump's Turnberry Golf Club will not be the venue for the next Open Championship, as the Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club has been appointed to host the 156th Open in 2028. The 2024 Open will be staged at Royal Birkdale, and the championship will return to its historic home at St Andrews in 2027. While Turnberry has long campaigned for a place on the Open rota, the R&A has indicated that a number of logistical and financial obstacles must be resolved before the Scottish resort can be considered again.
The R&A's chief executive, Mark Darbon, explained to Sky Sports that Turnberry presents a "logistical challenge" on a scale that is difficult to reconcile with the modern demands of a major championship. He noted that the road, rail and accommodation networks surrounding the Ayrshire coast are not currently sufficient to support the massive influx of players, officials, media and spectators that a contemporary Open attracts. "We have a good dialogue with the venue and we remain open‑minded," Darbon said, adding that the organization will continue discussions but that no firm timetable exists for a future Turnberry Open.
Muirfield, another storied Scottish links, was also omitted from the R&A's short‑term plans. The course last hosted the Open in 2013, when Phil Mickelson claimed the Claret Jug.
In 2016, former R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers stated that Muirfield would not be eligible until the club lifted its ban on female members. Although the membership vote in 2017 opened the door for women, the venue has not yet been re‑inserted into the rotation, despite high‑profile advocacy from players such as Rory McIlroy.
The nearest opportunity for Muirfield appears to be 2031, after the adjacent Renaissance Club has secured the Genesis Scottish Open through 2030. Royal Lytham & St Annes will host the 2028 Open from August 3‑6, marking its first appearance since 2012, when Ernie Els lifted the Claret Jug for the second time.
The club boasts a distinguished roll of champions that includes Bobby Jones, Bobby Locke, Peter Thomson, Sir Bob Charles, Tony Jacklin, Gary Player, Seve Ballesteros, Tom Lehman and David Duval. Darbon praised the venue as "one of the world's finest links courses" and highlighted its historic moments dating back to the inaugural Open at Lytham in 1926, when Bobby Jones won the tournament. Tim Walker, chairman of the council at Royal Lytham & St Annes, expressed pride in being chosen for the 156th Open.
He emphasized the club's century‑long connection to the championship, noting that the announcement coincides with the 100th anniversary of Bobby Jones's 1926 victory and the granting of the club's Royal charter. Walker looked forward to welcoming the world's top players and a global audience to the English coast for what he described as "one of golf's most cherished and historic venues." The R&A has also decided to move the Open back to its traditional August slot in 2028 to avoid a clash with the Los Angeles Olympic Games.
The 2025 Open at Royal Portrush was won by Scottie Scheffler, securing his fourth major and first Claret Jug, while the 2024 Open will be contested at Royal Birkdale from July 16‑19. In addition, Royal Lytham & St Annes will host the AIG Women's Open from July 29‑August 2, with live coverage on Sky Sports. President Donald Trump, who purchased Turnberry in April 2014, has repeatedly expressed a desire to see his resort re‑enter the Open rota. He has reportedly made appeals to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to support Turnberry's candidacy.
Turnberry's Ailsa Course has hosted the Open four times, most recently in 2009 when Stewart Cink emerged victorious. Over the four editions, roughly 120,000 spectators attended the tournament.
Despite the course's reputation as a premier links venue, the R&A maintains that Turnberry's remote location would shift the focus of the event away from the golf itself and onto the political and logistical complexities surrounding a U.S. president's ownership. In 2021, the R&A publicly stated that it had no plans to stage any of its championships at Turnberry in the foreseeable future, emphasizing that the organization would only return when it could be assured that the spotlight would remain on the players and the course. This stance echoed earlier concerns when the PGA of America withdrew the right for Trump National Golf Club Bedminster to host the 2022 PGA Championship.
In 2025, Eric Trump met with R&A officials to discuss Turnberry's prospects. While the talks were described as constructive, the core issue of logistics remained unresolved. Darbon reiterated that he would love to see the Open return to Turnberry, but reiterated that the venue's road, rail and accommodation infrastructure would need substantial upgrades. He noted, "Unless we address the logistical challenges, it's difficult for us to go back.
I met a couple of months ago with Eric Trump and some of the leadership from the Trump golf organisation from Turnberry. We had a really good discussion.
I think they understand clearly where we are coming from." The Guardian reported that a government spokesperson had also approached the R&A in 2025, urging the inclusion of Turnberry for the 2028 Open. The R&A clarified that its venue decisions are independent of political influence, though it does maintain regular dialogue with national and local authorities about infrastructure and transport matters. Ticket demand for the Open continues to surge. Over one million applications were received for the 2026 Open at Royal Birkdale, while the 2025 Open at Royal Portrush set an attendance record with 278,000 visitors across the four days – the highest figure for any Open outside of St Andrews.
Despite Turnberry's current exclusion from the Open schedule, the PGA Tour will soon travel to Trump National Doral in Miami for the inaugural Cadillac Championship, the fourth Signature Event of the 2026 season, broadcast live on Sky Sports. Golf fans can watch all four rounds of the Cadillac Championship from Thursday at 4 pm on Sky Sports Golf, or stream the coverage without a contract. In summary, while Turnberry remains a world‑class links course and a coveted venue for many, the R&A's primary concern is ensuring that the Open Championship remains focused on the sport, the competitors and the historic nature of the course itself. Until the logistical and financial hurdles are addressed, Royal Lytham & St Annes will host the 2028 Open, continuing a tradition that dates back nearly a century and promising another memorable chapter in the championship's storied history.