Donald Trump’s Turnberry Golf Club will not be the site of the next Open Championship, as the Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club has been chosen to host the 156th Open in 2028. This year’s Open will be staged at Royal Birkdale, and the historic "Home of Golf" at St Andrews is slated to welcome the tournament in 2027.
Turnberry, which has long campaigned for a place on the Open rota, remains off the schedule for the foreseeable future because a series of logistical and financial hurdles have yet to be resolved. The R&A’s chief executive, Mark Darbon, explained to Sky Sports that the scale of a modern Open demands robust road, rail and accommodation networks, and Turnberry’s remote Ayrshire location makes delivering that infrastructure a formidable challenge.
"We have an open dialogue with the venue and we’re willing to keep talking," Darborn said, "but until the logistical issues are addressed, the course cannot be a realistic option." Muirfield, another storied Scottish club, also finds itself excluded from the R&A’s short‑term plans. The last time Muirfield hosted the Open was in 2013, when Phil Mickelson claimed the Claret Jug. In 2016 former R&A chief Martin Slumbers noted that the club would not be considered again until it lifted its ban on female members. Although the membership policy changed a year later, Muirfield still has not secured a spot on the rota, despite a high‑profile appeal from Rory McIlroy in early 2024.
The nearest opportunity appears to be 2031, after the neighboring Renaissance Club takes over the Genesis Scottish Open through 2030. Royal Lytham & St Annes will host the Open from August 3‑6, 2028, marking its return to the championship for the first time since 2012, when Ernie Els lifted the Claret Jug for a second time. The club’s illustrious roll of champions includes legends such as Bobby Jones, Bobby Locke, Peter Thomson, Sir Bob Charles, Tony Jacklin, Gary Player, Seve Ballesteros, Tom Lehman and David Duval.
Darbon praised the venue, calling it "one of the world’s finest links courses" and emphasizing its deep‑rooted place in golf history since Bobby Jones’s 1926 victory. Tim Walker, chairman of the council at Royal Lytham & St Annes, expressed pride in being selected for the 156th Open.
He highlighted the club’s century‑long connection to the tournament and its recent elevation to Royal status, noting that the announcement coincides with the 100‑year anniversary of Jones’s win. Walker said the club looks forward to welcoming the sport’s leading players and a global audience to England’s historic golf coast.
The R&A is moving the 2028 Open back to its traditional August slot to avoid a clash with the Los Angeles Olympic Games. The 2025 Open, won by Scottie Scheffler at Royal Portrush, was the 153rd edition and marked Scheffler’s fourth major title. This year’s Open will be contested at Royal Birkdale from July 16‑19, while the AIG Women’s Open will follow at Royal Lytham & St Annes from July 29‑August 2.
President Trump has long hoped that Turnberry might re‑enter the Open rotation. He purchased the resort in April 2014 and has reportedly appealed to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for the venue’s inclusion. Turnberry’s Ailsa Course has previously hosted the Open four times, most recently in 2009 when Stewart Cink emerged victorious. Over 120,000 spectators attended the four‑day event across those historic editions.
However, the R&A remains concerned that the focus would shift from the competition to the political spotlight surrounding the U.S. president’s ownership.
In 2021 the R&A publicly stated that it had no plans to stage any championships at Turnberry in the near term, citing concerns that the tournament’s narrative would be dominated by non‑golf issues. The same year the PGA of America withdrew Trump National Golf Club Bedminster’s right to host the 2022 PGA Championship, reinforcing the perception that political considerations could interfere with the sport’s integrity. In 2025, Eric Trump met with R&A officials to discuss the venue’s prospects. While the conversation was described as constructive, the core logistical challenges persisted.
Darbon reiterated his willingness to see the Open return to Turnberry but stressed that without significant improvements to transport and accommodation infrastructure, the course could not meet the championship’s requirements. "We had a really good discussion and they understand where we are coming from," he said. A Guardian report from 2025 revealed that a spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s office had also reached out to the R&A, urging consideration of Turnberry for 2028.
The R&A clarified that any decision about the Open’s venue is independent of government influence, though they do maintain regular dialogue with local authorities about infrastructure concerns. Ticket demand for recent Opens has been extraordinary.
Over one million applications were received for the 2026 Open at Royal Birkdale, and the 2025 edition at Royal Portrush set a record with 278,000 spectators across four days – the highest attendance for an Open outside of St Andrews. Despite the setbacks at Turnberry, the PGA Tour will head to Trump National Doral in Miami for the inaugural Cadillac Championship, the fourth Signature Event of the 2026 season, with live coverage on Sky Sports. This event underscores the continued commercial partnership between the Trump golf brand and major tour sponsors, even as the Open remains out of reach.
In summary, while Turnberry’s Ailsa Course remains a world‑class links venue, the combination of remote location, limited transport links and the potential for political distraction have kept it off the Open schedule for now. Royal Lytham & St Annes, with its rich heritage and robust infrastructure, will host the 2028 Open, promising fans a classic links experience and a celebration of golf’s storied traditions.