R&A Considering a Return to Trump Turnberry for British Open

Turnberry last hosted the British Open in 2009, when Stewart Cink defeated Tom Watson.

Turnberry last hosted the British Open in 2009. / David Cannon/Getty Images

The British Open hasn't been held at Trump Turnberry since 2009, when Stewart Cink defeated Tom Watson in a playoff.

At the official launch of this year's British Open, which will be played at Royal Portrush, R&A chief executive Mark Darbon said he "would love" for Turnberry to once again host the Open Championship at some point in the future.

"A modern Open Championship is a large-scale event," Darbon said. "What we know for sure is the golf course is brilliant, so at some point we'd love to be back there.

"We consistently work with our venues and their owners and operators to talk about what an Open Championship demands and how we work with them to bring that to life."

President Donald Trump bought the course in April 2014 for reportedly $63 million and has since made significant improvements to the property including upgrades to the Ailsa course.

Last October, golf course architect Martin Ebert began a refurbishment of the course that was done in part to help Turnberry's potential candidacy for a future British Open. A feasibility survey has been commissioned to study whether the venue can handle the logistics of golf’s oldest major.

A return to Turnberry would be welcome by plenty of fans and even players, including Charley Hull, who played the Ailsa course prior to the 2024 AIG Women’s Open at St. Andrews.

“I love being out on the course, and the views on that golf course are brilliant. It was so much fun," Hull said last year.

“A hundred percent,” she added when asked if Turnberry should host another Open. “I think it’s a shame, it’s a really top track.”

Turnberry made its British Open debut in 1977, when Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus famously played what is referred to as the "Duel in the Sun." The course also hosted the event in 1986, 1994 and 2009.

The British Open will be held at Royal Portrush this year, Royal Birkdale in 2026 and the Old Course at St. Andrews in 2027, with the next available slot being 2028.