Donald Trump's Turnberry Golf Club will not be staging The Open Championship in the near term after the R&A announced that Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club has been selected to host the 156th Open in 2028. The 2024 edition of the major will be played at Royal Birkdale, and the iconic links at St Andrews are slated to welcome the championship in 2027.
Turnberry, which has long campaigned for a place on the Open rota, remains sidelined because a series of logistical hurdles have yet to be resolved. Current R&A chief executive Mark Darbon explained to Sky Sports that the venue faces "a logistical challenge" that goes beyond the quality of the course itself.
He noted that a modern Open demands a massive infrastructure network – reliable road and rail links, ample accommodation, and the capacity to handle tens of thousands of spectators – and that Turnberry's remote position on the Ayrshire coast makes it difficult to meet those requirements without substantial investment. "We have a good dialogue with the venue, we're open‑minded, we'll maintain that dialogue and see where we get," Darbon added, signalling that the R&A is not closing the door entirely but is cautious about committing until the practical issues are sorted.
Muirfield, another historic Scottish club, was also left out of the R&A's immediate schedule. The course last hosted the Open in 2013, when Phil Mickelson captured the Claret Jug. In 2016, former R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers stated that Muirfield would not be considered again until it lifted its ban on female members. Although the club voted in 2017 to admit women, it still has not been reinstated into the Open rotation, despite a high‑profile appeal from Rory McIlroy in early 2024.
The next realistic window for Muirfield, according to insiders, is 2031, after the neighboring Renaissance Club secures the Genesis Scottish Open through 2030. The 2028 Open at Royal Lytham will mark the course's first appearance since 2012, when Ernie Els claimed his second Claret Jug there. Lytham'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, saying, "Royal Lytham & St Annes is widely renowned as one of the world's finest links courses and has witnessed many great championship moments since The Open was first played there in 1926 when the legendary Bobby Jones won. This is one of golf's most cherished and historic venues and The Open's return to these famous links will spark huge interest among fans to be part of one of the world's great sporting events and celebrate the rich traditions of golf's original Championship." Tim Walker, chairman of the council at Royal Lytham, echoed that sentiment: "We are honoured to be chosen as the host venue for The 156th Open in 2028. The club has a long and successful association with The Open, and we take great pride in our place within the Championship's history.
It is fitting that this announcement comes as we mark 100 years since Bobby Jones' victory here in 1926 and the granting of our Royal status. We look forward to welcoming the world's leading players, together with spectators and audiences from across the globe, to our links on England's golf coast." The R&A is moving the 2028 Open back to its traditional August slot to avoid clashing with the Los Angeles Olympic Games later that summer. The 2025 Open at Royal Portrush saw Scottie Scheffler win his fourth major and first Claret Jug, while the 2024 edition will run at Royal Birkdale from July 16‑19.
In addition, Royal Lytham will host the AIG Women's Open from July 29 to August 2, providing a back‑to‑back showcase of elite golf on England's south‑west coast. Trump, who purchased Turnberry in April 2014, has long lobbied for the resort to re‑enter the Open rota.
He reportedly appealed directly to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, hoping that the south‑Ayrshire venue could be selected for 2028. Turnberry's Ailsa Course last hosted the championship in 2009, when Stewart Cink emerged victorious and roughly 120,000 spectators attended across four days. Despite its reputation as one of the premier links courses in the British Isles, the R&A concluded that the remote location would generate logistical and financial strains that could eclipse the sporting spectacle. In a 2021 statement, the R&A warned that a Turnberry Open might shift focus away from the competition itself and toward the political profile of its owner.
That comment came shortly after the PGA of America stripped Trump National Golf Club Bedminster of its rights to host the 2022 PGA Championship. The R&A reiterated its stance in 2024: "We had no plans to stage any of our championships at Turnberry and will not do so in the foreseeable future. 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." In 2025, Eric Trump met with R&A officials to discuss the venue.
While the talks were described as constructive, the core issue of infrastructure remained. Darbon said he would "love" to see the Open return to Turnberry, but emphasized that without a viable solution to road, rail and accommodation challenges, the R&A could not move forward. "Unless we address the logistical challenges, it's difficult for us to go back," he told Sky Sports, adding that he had recently spoken with Eric Trump and senior members of the Turnberry organization to ensure they understood the R&A's position.
The Guardian reported that a government spokesperson also approached the R&A in 2025, urging the body to consider Turnberry for 2028. The R&A clarified that venue decisions are independent of political influence, though they do maintain regular dialogue with local and national authorities about infrastructure matters. "We have explained the logistical challenges around Turnberry to the government, and they are aware of the position," an R&A spokesperson said. Ticket demand for upcoming Opens remains massive.
Over one million applications were received for the 2026 Open at Royal Birkdale, and the 2025 event at Royal Portrush set an attendance record outside St Andrews with 278,000 visitors across four days. Darbon summed up the R&A's outlook: "I think we've been extremely clear on our position in respect of Turnberry. We love the golf course but we've got some big logistical challenges there. You see the scale of their set‑up here and we've got some work to do on the road, rail and accommodation infrastructure." Meanwhile, the PGA Tour will head to Trump National Doral in Miami for the inaugural Cadillac Championship, the fourth Signature Event of the 2026 season, broadcast live on Sky Sports.
The event underscores that while Turnberry may be sidelined for The Open, Trump's golf properties continue to host high‑profile tournaments worldwide. In summary, Royal Lytham & St Annes has secured the 2028 Open, reaffirming its historic status and providing fans with a classic links experience. Turnberry, despite its pedigree and the ambitions of its owner, remains out of the rotation until the R&A is satisfied that the logistical framework can support a modern major without detracting from the sport itself.
The next few years will likely see continued dialogue, infrastructure planning, and perhaps new opportunities for both venues as the global golf calendar evolves.