Overview

• Senior Whitehall officials have formally asked the R&A to assess Turnberry’s suitability for the 2028 Open after repeated lobbying by President Trump.
• Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government sees the effort as part of broader UK–US relations and trade negotiations with Trump’s administration.
• Turnberry, owned by Trump since 2014, last hosted the Open in 2009 but faces significant infrastructure and accommodation challenges to meet modern tournament demands.
• R&A CEO Mark Darbon has expressed openness to the idea, marking a shift from the organization’s previous stance after the 2021 Capitol attack.
• Feasibility studies are underway to evaluate the tens or hundreds of millions of pounds in investment required to address logistical hurdles.