Martin Slumbers issues Open update on Turnberry

Outgoing R&A Chief Executive Martin Slumbers has issued another update on the Open prospects of Trump Turnberry.

Ahead of the 151st open Championship at Royal Liverpool, Slumbers insisted the Ayrshire venue was not in the R&A’s plans.

Now, speaking to Golf Channel, Slumbers has doubled down on the governing body’s position.

“We’ve never taken Turnberry off the rota,” he said.

“So, we talk of ten courses that stage The Open Championship and that we look to use for other events.

“The position at the moment, in respect of Turnberry, is that we will not be taking events there until we’re comfortable that the whole dialogue will be about golf.

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“That is a situation we’re still not comfortable with, but that could evolve in the coming years.”

Turnberry has hosted the Open four times, making its debut in 1977. But the last time the Claret Jug was lifted on the Ailas Course was in 2009.

Since then, it has staged the Senior Open Championship in 2012 and the Women’s Open in 2015.

Nic Oldham, the General Manager at Turnberry, penned a statement in July, urging the R&A to reconsider its stance.

Several professional golfers, including Charley Hull, have followed suit and called for the venue to be reinstated in the professional golf calendar.

But, for Slumbers, Trump’s political presence would cause too many distractions.

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“I think Turnberry is a fantastic golf course and my favourite links course,” Slumbers added. “But that position is clear and there is a path forward if that situation changes.

“When you look at major championships, we want the whole thing to be purely about the golf course and the players competing on it.

“And to make sure there is no media noise that detracts away from the fact this is a golf championship, the oldest and original championship. That should be the single source of media coverage.

“That’s really important if we’re going to preserve the strength of our events.”

The venue has been owned by the Trump Organisation since 2014, who now brand it Trump Turnberry.

It was struck from the R&A’s plans in 2021 after January’s storming of the US Capitol building.

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.