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 chosen to host the 156th Open in 2028. The 2024 edition will be played at Royal Birkdale, and the tournament will move back to the historic Home of Golf at St Andrews in 2027. While Turnberry has long campaigned for a place in the Open rotation, the R&A has indicated that the course will remain out of the schedule for the foreseeable future until a series of logistical and financial hurdles can be resolved. Current R&A chief executive Mark Darbon explained to Sky Sports that Turnberry presents a "logistical challenge" for a modern major.
He noted that the scale of today’s Open demands extensive road, rail and accommodation infrastructure, and Turnberry’s remote position on the Ayrshire coast makes it difficult to meet those requirements. "We have a good dialogue with the venue and we remain open‑minded," Darbon said, "but until the infrastructure issues are addressed, we cannot commit to a return." 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 Martin Slumbers had previously 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, the venue has still not been re‑added to the rotation, despite a public appeal from Rory McIlroy in early 2024. The R&A indicated that Muirfield is unlikely to appear again until at least 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 turn as host since 2012, when Ernie Els won his second Claret Jug on the links.
The course boasts a distinguished list of past champions 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, saying, "Royal Lytham & St Annes is widely recognised as one of the world’s finest links courses and has witnessed many great championship moments since the first Open was played there in 1926 when the legendary Bobby Jones triumphed. This historic venue will generate huge interest among fans and celebrate the rich traditions of golf’s original championship." Tim Walker, chairman of the council at Royal Lytham, echoed the sentiment: "We are honoured to be chosen as the host 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, spectators and audiences to our links on England’s golf coast." The R&A is moving the Open back to August 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 staged at Royal Birkdale from July 16‑19, and Lytham will also host the AIG Women’s Open from July 29‑August 2, both events televised on Sky Sports.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed hope that Turnberry could re‑join the Open rotation. He purchased the resort in April 2014 and reportedly appealed to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to secure a future Open at the south‑Ayrshire venue. Turnberry’s Ailsa Course last hosted the Open in 2009, when Stewart Cink won; roughly 120,000 spectators attended the four‑day event. Despite its reputation as a top‑tier course, the R&A believes the remote location would create significant logistical and financial strain, potentially diverting attention away from the players and the competition itself.
In 2021 the R&A outlined its concerns, noting that a Turnberry Open might become a platform for political discussion rather than a pure sporting showcase. The statement came shortly after the PGA of America revoked Trump National Golf Club Bedminster’s right to host the 2022 PGA Championship. An official R&A release said, "We have no plans to stage any of our championships at Turnberry 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 under current circumstances." In 2025, Eric Trump met with R&A officials to discuss the venue.
While the meeting was described as constructive, the core issue of infrastructure remained. Darbon said he would "love" to see Turnberry back on the rota, but reiterated that without improvements to road, rail and accommodation, a return is unlikely. He added, "We had a really good discussion with Eric Trump and the leadership from the Trump golf organisation.
They understand where we are coming from, but the logistical challenges are still significant." 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, though they do maintain regular dialogue with local and national authorities about infrastructure needs. Ticket demand for the Open continues to surge.
Over one million applications were received for the 2026 Open at Royal Birkdale, while the 2025 Open at Royal Portrush set an attendance record with 278,000 spectators across four days—the highest figure for any Open outside St Andrews. Despite the ongoing stalemate over Turnberry, 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 fans can watch all four rounds of the Cadillac Championship starting Thursday at 4 pm on Sky Sports Golf, or stream without a contract. In summary, while Turnberry remains a world‑class links course, the R&A’s priority is to ensure that any Open venue can support the massive logistical demands of a modern major and keep the focus squarely on the sport. Until those challenges are resolved, Royal Lytham & St Annes will take centre stage in 2028, continuing a legacy that dates back to the 1920s and promising another memorable chapter in the Open Championship’s storied history.