The Open (commonly called The British Open) is golf’s original championship. Played since 1860 on iconic links golf courses, it is the sport’s most international major championship with qualifying events on every continent. Anyone can try to qualify for this prestigious tournament, as they have qualifiers all over the world on every continent. There is one place, however, that the tournament’s organizers want nothing to do with — Trump’s Turnberry Resort in Scotland has been blacklisted.
The Daily Telegraph reported that The Open is adamant that as long as Trump owns the property, they will not have any events there.
As far as the actual course goes, it is a nice one, as most golfers already know. But golf’s oldest and original tournament wants the tournament’s events to be about the players, not political controversy.
Sources told the newspaper Trump’s course is being rejected due to his actions on Jan. 6, 2021. That is ironic considering Trump tried to use his influence while in office to get the tournament played at his Scotland resort.
Furthermore, this is after Trump spent a lot of money redoing his course at the recommendation of the tournament organizer’s former CEO, Peter Dawson.
“It was done with a great architect,” he said. “A great golf architect recommended by Peter Dawson…. I said, give me the best one, and Martin Grant Hawtree… He’s a fabulous guy, a fabulous man…. What he does is this type of course, he really did a great job.”
But, how great of a job Hawtree did is irrelevant now. The Open just wants nothing to do with Trump.
The R&A’s current chief executive, Martin Slumbers, stated in January, 2021, that he had “had no plans to stage any of our championships at Turnberry and will not do so in the foreseeable future.” Three years later, the organization’s stance has remained unchanged and Trump remains blacklisted.
“We have no plans to stage any of our championships there in the foreseeable future and will not return until we are convinced that the focus will be on the championship, the players and the course itself,” a source told the Telegraph.
Another source commented that he would probably have to sell the golf course and property before The Open would even consider staging any events there.
