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 confirmed as the host for the 156th Open in 2028. The 2024 Open will take place at Royal Birkdale, and the historic "Home of Golf" at St Andrews is slated to welcome the championship in 2027. Turnberry, owned by the former U.S.
president since April 2014, has long campaigned to re‑enter the Open rotation after a 15‑year absence. The course’s Ailsa layout last staged the tournament in 2009, when Stewart Cink lifted the Claret Jug in front of roughly 120,000 spectators across four days.
Despite its reputation as one of the most beautiful links courses in the British Isles, the R&A has repeatedly cited logistical and financial concerns that make a return to Turnberry unlikely in the near term. R&A Chief Executive Mark Darbon explained to Sky Sports that the scale of a modern Open demands robust road, rail and accommodation infrastructure, which Turnberry currently lacks. "The challenge at Turnberry is a logistical challenge," he said.
"You see the scale of a modern Open championship – the road, rail and accommodation network around that venue is challenging to deliver what we now deliver. We have a good dialogue with the venue, we're open‑minded, we'll maintain that dialogue and see where we get." The R&A’s decision also leaves Muirfield out of the immediate rotation. The historic Scottish club last hosted the Open in 2013, when Phil Mickelson secured a three‑shot victory.
Although Muirfield lifted its long‑standing ban on female members in 2017, it has not yet been re‑added to the schedule. Even after Rory McIlroy publicly urged the governing body to reconsider Muirfield, the R&A indicated that the club would not return until at least 2031, partly because the neighboring Renaissance Club will host the Genesis Scottish Open through 2030. Royal Lytham & St Annes will host the Open from August 3‑6, 2028, marking its first appearance since 2012 when Ernie Els won his second Claret Jug. The venue has a storied legacy that includes champions 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 course, noting that it is "widely renowned as one of the world's finest links courses" and that its return 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, expressed pride in the selection: "We are honoured to be chosen as the host venue for The 156th Open in 2028. 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 Open back to its traditional August slot in 2028 to avoid clashing with the Los Angeles Olympic Games later that summer.
The 2025 Open, held at Royal Portrush, saw Scottie Scheffler claim his fourth major and first Claret Jug, while the upcoming 2026 Open at Royal Birkdale is scheduled for July 16‑19. In addition, Royal Lytham will host the AIG Women's Open from July 29‑August 2, providing a double‑header of elite golf on the English coast.
Turnberry’s exclusion is not solely about geography. In 2021 the R&A warned that a Turnberry Open could become a media circus focused more on Donald Trump than on the sport itself. That concern resurfaced after the PGA of America stripped Trump National Golf Club Bedminster of its right to host the 2022 PGA Championship. An official R&A statement read, "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." Despite these setbacks, dialogue continues. In 2025 Eric Trump met with R&A officials and reported a "really good discussion" about the logistical hurdles. Darbon said he would "love" to see the Open return to Turnberry, but reiterated that without major upgrades to transport and accommodation, the venue remains impractical. "Unless we address the logistical challenges, it's difficult for us to go back," he noted.
The British government has also been consulted. A Guardian report from 2025 indicated that a spokesperson for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s office reached out to the R&A to advocate for Turnberry in 2028, but the governing body emphasized its independence from political pressure, stating that any decision rests on the merits of the venue and the integrity of the championship.
Ticket demand for the Open remains massive. Over one million applications were received for the 2026 Open at Royal Birkdale, while the 2025 event at Royal Portrush set an attendance record of 278,000 spectators across four days – the highest turnout for an Open outside St Andrews.
While Turnberry may be on hold, the Trump brand continues to feature prominently in professional golf. This week the PGA Tour will 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 starting Thursday at 4 p.m. on Sky Sports Golf, or stream without a contract. In summary, the 2028 Open will be staged at Royal Lytham & St Annes, reaffirming the R&A’s commitment to venues that can support the massive logistical demands of modern major championships.
Turnberry, despite its scenic allure and historic pedigree, must first resolve significant infrastructure and perception challenges before it can re‑join the Open rota. Until then, the championship will continue to rotate among courses that can guarantee smooth operations, robust spectator experiences, and, above all, a focus on the sport itself.