Donald Trump's Turnberry Golf Club will not be staging The Open Championship in the near term after the Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club was announced as the host for the 156th Open in 2028. The 2024 Open will be played at Royal Birkdale, and the tournament will move back 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 significant logistical hurdles must be resolved before the Scottish resort can be reconsidered. Current R&A Chief Executive Mark Darbon explained to Sky Sports that Turnberry presents a "logistical challenge" of a scale rarely encountered in modern major championships. He noted that the road, rail and accommodation networks surrounding the venue would need substantial upgrades to cope with the thousands of spectators, media crews and support staff 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 cannot commit until the infrastructure issues are addressed.
Muirfield, another storied Scottish links, was also left out of the R&A's immediate plans. The club last hosted The Open in 2013, when Phil Mickelson claimed the Claret Jug. Former R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers had previously warned that Muirfield would not be considered again until it lifted its historic ban on female members. Although the club voted in 2017 to admit women, it still has not re‑entered the Open rotation, even after Rory McIlroy publicly urged the governing body to reinstate it.
A realistic window for Muirfield’s return is now projected at 2031, especially since the neighboring Renaissance Club will host 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 course boasts an illustrious champion list 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 Bobby Jones’s 1926 victory. He added that the return to these iconic links will generate massive fan interest and celebrate the deep traditions of golf’s original championship. Tim Walker, chairman of the council at Royal Lytham & St Annes, expressed pride in being selected for the 156th Open.
He remarked that the announcement coincides with the centenary of Bobby Jones’s 1926 triumph and the club’s elevation to Royal status a hundred years ago. Walker looked forward to welcoming the sport’s elite players and a global audience to England’s coastal links. The R&A is moving the Open back to its traditional August slot in 2028 to avoid clashing with the Los Angeles Olympic Games. The 2025 Open was won by Scottie Scheffler at Royal Portrush, giving him his fourth major and first Claret Jug.
This year’s Open will be contested at Royal Birkdale from July 16‑19, while Royal Lytham & St Annes will also stage the AIG Women’s Open from July 29‑August 2. President Donald Trump has long hoped Turnberry could re‑join the Open rota.
He purchased the resort in April 2014 and has reportedly lobbied Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for the venue’s selection. Turnberry’s Ailsa Course hosted The Open four times, most recently in 2009 when Stewart Cink prevailed. Over those four championships, roughly 120,000 spectators attended.
Despite its reputation as a premier links course, the R&A cites Turnberry’s remote Ayrshire location as a major obstacle. In a 2021 statement, the organization warned that the focus of an Open at Turnberry might shift from the sport to political headlines surrounding the U.S. president, undermining the championship’s integrity.
That concern followed the PGA of America’s decision to strip Trump National Golf Club Bedminster of the right to host the 2022 PGA Championship. In 2025, Eric Trump met with R&A officials to discuss Turnberry’s prospects.
While the talks were constructive, logistical and financial concerns remained. Darbon said he would love to see the Open return to Turnberry but emphasized that without significant improvements to transport and accommodation infrastructure, the venue is not viable. He recalled a recent meeting with Eric Trump and the Trump golf leadership, noting that both sides understand the challenges and are maintaining an open dialogue.
The Guardian reported that a government spokesperson also approached the R&A in 2025, urging the inclusion of Turnberry for the 2028 Open. The R&A clarified that venue decisions are independent of political influence, although they regularly consult with national and local authorities about infrastructure matters. Ticket demand for recent Opens has been extraordinary. Over one million applications were received for the 2026 Open at Royal Birkdale, and the 2025 event at Royal Portrush set a record with 278,000 spectators across four days—the highest attendance outside St Andrews.
Despite Turnberry’s current exclusion, 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. In summary, while Turnberry remains a dream venue for many fans and for President Trump, the R&A’s primary concern is ensuring that any Open venue can support the massive logistical demands of a modern major championship.
Until the road, rail and lodging networks around Turnberry are upgraded and the focus can stay on the golf itself, the Open will continue its rotation at venues like Royal Lytham & St Annes, Royal Birkdale and St Andrews, preserving the tournament’s heritage and delivering the world‑class experience that players and spectators expect.