The Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club has been selected to host The 156th Open in 2028, leaving Donald Trump's Turnberry Golf Club out of the immediate rotation. This year's Open Championship will take place at Royal Birkdale, and the tournament will return to St Andrews in 2027. However, Turnberry faces significant logistical challenges that must be addressed before it can host The Open.
The R&A Chief Executive, Mark Darbon, stated that the scale of a modern Open championship poses challenges to the road, rail, and accommodation network around Turnberry. Muirfield has also been omitted from the R&A's immediate plans due to its previous ban on female members, which was lifted in 2017.
The Open will return to Royal Lytham for the first time since 2012, when Ernie Els won the championship. Royal Lytham & St Annes is renowned for its rich history and has hosted many great championship moments since The Open was first played there in 1926.
The R&A is moving The Open Championship back to August in 2028 to avoid clashing with the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Turnberry's Ailsa Course has hosted The Open four times, but the R&A believes it would pose logistical and financial difficulties due to its remote location.
The R&A addressed the matter in 2021, explaining that the focus of an Open Championship at Turnberry would not be on the golf course but rather on matters relating to the US President. In 2025, Trump's son, Eric, met with R&A officials to discuss the venue, but a sticking point remained.
The R&A received over one million applications for tickets to the 2026 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, with last year's event at Royal Portrush breaking records. Despite the challenges, the PGA Tour will head to Trump National Doral in Miami for the inaugural Cadillac Championship.
The R&A has been clear on its position regarding Turnberry, citing logistical challenges as the primary concern.