Donald Trump's Turnberry Golf Club will not be the venue for the next Open Championship, as the R&A has announced that Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club will host the 156th Open in 2028. The 2024 Open will be played at Royal Birkdale, and the tournament will move back to the historic links of St Andrews in 2027. Turnberry, which has long campaigned for a place on the Open rotation, remains out of the schedule for the foreseeable future because a series of logistical and financial hurdles have yet to be resolved. "The challenge at Turnberry is a logistical challenge," said Mark Darbon, the R&A's chief executive, in an interview with Sky Sports on Monday.
He explained that the modern Open demands a massive supporting infrastructure – extensive road and rail links, ample accommodation and the capacity to handle huge crowds – and that Turnberry's remote position on the Ayrshire coast makes meeting those requirements difficult. "We have a good dialogue with the venue, we are open‑minded and will keep the conversation going," Darbon added. Muirfield, another storied Scottish club, was also omitted from the R&A's short‑term plans.
The last time Muirfield hosted the Open was in 2013, when Phil Mickelson captured the Claret Jug. Former R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers noted in 2016 that Muirfield would not be considered again until it lifted its ban on female members.
Although the club voted in 2017 to allow women to apply for membership, the venue still has not re‑entered the Open rota, even after Rory McIlroy publicly urged the governing body to reconsider it in early 2025. The next realistic opportunity for Muirfield appears to be 2031, after the neighboring Renaissance Club has secured the Genesis Scottish Open through 2030.
Royal Lytham & St Annes will host the 2028 Open from August 3‑6, marking its first turn as host since 2012, when Ernie Els lifted the Claret Jug for the second time. Over the years, the links have welcomed a pantheon of champions, including Bobby Jones, Bobby Locke, Peter Thomson, Sir Bob Charles, Tony Jacklin, Gary Player, Seve Ballesteros, Tom Lehman and David Duval. Darbon praised the course, saying, "Royal Lytham & St Annes is widely recognised as one of the world’s finest links courses and has been the stage for many historic moments since the Open first arrived in 1926 when the legendary Bobby Jones won." He added that the return to this "cherished and historic venue" would generate enormous excitement among fans and celebrate the deep traditions of golf’s original championship.
Tim Walker, chairman of the council at Royal Lytham & St Annes, echoed that sentiment: "We are honoured to be chosen as the host venue for the 156th Open. The club has a long and successful association with the championship, and it is fitting that this announcement coincides with the centenary of Bobby Jones' 1926 victory and the granting of our Royal status.
We look forward to welcoming the world’s leading players and spectators 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 a clash with the Los Angeles Olympic Games. The 2025 Open at Royal Portrush was won by Scottie Scheffler, who claimed his fourth major and first Claret Jug.
This year’s Open will be contested at Royal Birkdale from July 16‑19, while Lytham will also stage the AIG Women’s Open from July 29‑August 2, both events broadcast live on Sky Sports. President Donald Trump has long hoped that Turnberry could re‑join the Open rota.
He purchased the resort in April 2014 and reportedly lobbied Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to secure a future Open at the South Ayrshire venue. Turnberry’s Ailsa Course has hosted the Open four times, most recently in 2009 when Stewart Cink won. Over the four editions, roughly 120,000 spectators attended the tournament.
Despite its reputation as one of the premier courses in the British Isles, the R&A concluded that Turnberry’s isolated location would create logistical and financial strains that could detract from the focus on the players and the competition itself. In 2021, the R&A publicly stated that it had no plans to stage any championships at Turnberry in the near future, emphasizing that the event must remain centered on the sport rather than on political or celebrity considerations. That declaration came shortly after the PGA of America stripped Trump National Golf Club Bedminster of its 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 described as positive, the core issue of infrastructure remained. Darbon said he would "love" to see the Open return to Turnberry, but reiterated that the venue was not currently viable from a logistical or financial standpoint.
"Unless we address the road, rail and accommodation challenges, it’s difficult for us to go back," he told Sky Sports, noting that recent discussions with the Trump organization had clarified the hurdles that still need to be overcome. The Guardian reported that a senior government spokesperson also reached out to the R&A in 2025, urging the body to consider Turnberry for the 2028 Open. The R&A stressed that its venue decisions are independent of government influence, although it does maintain regular dialogue with national and local authorities about potential sites.
"We have explained the logistical challenges around Turnberry to the government, and they are aware of our position," an R&A spokesperson said. Ticket demand for the Open remains sky‑high. Over one million applications were received for the 2026 Open at Royal Birkdale, and the 2025 edition at Royal Portrush set a new attendance record with 278,000 patrons across the four days – the highest figure for any Open outside St Andrews. Darbon summed up the R&A’s stance: "We love the golf course, but the logistical challenges are significant.
We need to improve road, rail and accommodation infrastructure before we can consider a return." 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, with live coverage on Sky Sports Golf. Golf fans can book rounds at more than 1,700 courses across the UK and Ireland, and can stream Sky Sports without a contract for additional coverage. In summary, while Turnberry remains a beloved course with a rich Open history, the R&A has prioritized venues that can comfortably support the massive scale of the modern championship.
Royal Lytham & St Annes will take the spotlight in 2028, offering fans a classic links experience and continuing the Open’s storied tradition.