Donald Trump's Turnberry Golf Club will not be part of the Open Championship rotation in the near term, after the R&A announced that Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club will host the 156th Open in 2028. The 2024 edition of the championship will be staged at Royal Birkdale, and the iconic links at St Andrews are slated to welcome the tournament in 2027. Turnberry, owned by the former U.S. President since its purchase in April 2014, has long campaigned for a return to the Open schedule.
Despite its storied history – the Ailsa Course has hosted the major four times, most recently in 2009 when Stewart Cink lifted the Claret Jug – the venue faces a series of logistical and financial hurdles that the R&A says make it unsuitable for the modern Open. "The challenge at Turnberry is a logistical challenge," said Mark Darbon, the R&A’s chief executive, in an interview with Sky Sports.
"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." His comments underscore the difficulty of moving thousands of spectators, media crews, and players to a relatively remote coastal site in Ayrshire. The current infrastructure would require substantial upgrades to roads, public transport links, and lodging capacity, all of which would entail significant investment. 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 claimed victory by three strokes. 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 admit women, it still has not been reinstated on the Open rota, despite a public appeal from Rory McIlroy in early 2024. 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, meanwhile, will host the Open for the first time since 2012, when Ernie Els won his second Claret Jug. The course has a distinguished pedigree, having welcomed 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 venue, stating, "Royal Lytham & St Annes is widely renowned as one of the world's finest links courses and has witnessed many great championship moments since The Open was first played there in 1926 when the legendary Bobby Jones won. This is one of golf's most cherished and historic venues and The Open's return to these famous links 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 & St Annes, echoed that sentiment: "We are honoured to be chosen as the host venue for The 156th Open in 2028.
The club has a long and successful association with The Open, and we take great pride in our place within the Championship's history. 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 scheduling of the 2028 Open has also been adjusted to avoid a clash with the Los Angeles Olympic Games, moving the championship back to August (August 3‑6). This shift will align the tournament with its traditional late‑summer slot, ensuring optimal television coverage and player availability.
Recent Open history provides context for the upcoming events. Scottie Scheffler captured his fourth major and first Claret Jug at the 153rd Open on Royal Portrush in 2025. The 2024 Open will be contested at Royal Birkdale from July 16‑19, while Royal Lytham & St Annes will host the AIG Women’s Open from July 29‑August 2, both televised live on Sky Sports. Trump’s aspirations for Turnberry have not gone unnoticed.
Reports indicate that the former President made direct appeals to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to secure a spot for the venue. However, the R&A’s 2021 statement warned that the focus of an Open at Turnberry could shift from the sport to political headlines, a concern amplified after the PGA of America stripped Trump National Golf Club Bedminster of its right to host the 2022 PGA Championship. In a 2025 R&A press release the organization clarified its stance: "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." Nevertheless, dialogue continues.
In early 2025, Eric Trump met with R&A officials, and Darbon later remarked that he would "love" to see the Open return to Turnberry, provided the logistical and financial challenges are resolved. "Unless we address the logistical challenges, it's difficult for us to go back," he said, adding that the recent discussions were constructive and that the venue’s leadership now understands the R&A’s concerns. The British government has also been kept in the loop.
A Guardian report from 2025 noted that a spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s office contacted the R&A to suggest Turnberry for the 2028 Open, but the governing body emphasized its independence in venue selection. "We regularly engage with government and local government regarding venues," an R&A spokesperson told Sky Sports, "We have explained the logistical challenges around Turnberry to the government, and they are aware of the position." Ticket demand for the Open remains robust. Over one million applications were received for the 2026 Open at Royal Birkdale, and the 2025 edition at Royal Portrush set a record with 278,000 attendees across four days – the highest non‑St Andrews turnout in Open history.
While Turnberry’s future in the Open rota is uncertain, the broader golf calendar continues to evolve. The PGA Tour will head 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 also book rounds at more than 1,700 courses across the UK and Ireland through the R&A’s online platform. In summary, the 2028 Open will celebrate the heritage of Royal Lytham & St Annes, reaffirming the tournament’s deep roots in traditional links golf. Turnberry, despite its prestige and high‑profile ownership, must first overcome significant infrastructure and perception hurdles before it can rejoin the championship’s elite rotation.