Government Says Open Hosting Decisions Around Trump Turnberry Up To R&a

The UK authorities says it is up to nan R&A to determine nan hosts of nan Open Championship pursuing claims US president Donald Trump has made repeated requests for nan 2028 arena to beryllium held astatine his Turnberry course.

President Trump and White House officials person reportedly spoken to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer astir nan Open returning to nan Ayrshire venue, which past hosted nan arena successful 2009.

BBC Sport has been told by respective sources that nan UK authorities has asked nan R&A astir its position connected nan matter successful caller months.

A spokesperson for nan premier curate did not contradict those claims, but said immoderate interaction nan authorities had pinch sporting bodies was "part of nan business of government" and not hosting decisions.

"I wouldn't get into circumstantial conversations but it's for sporting bodies to make decisions connected tourney venues, not nan government," nan spokesperson said.

"Obviously nan authorities is successful regular interaction pinch sporting bodies connected tournaments successful nan accustomed measurement but not beyond that."

A spokesperson for nan R&A said: "We regularly prosecute pinch authorities and section authorities regarding venues.

"We person explained nan logistical challenges astir Turnberry to nan authorities and they are alert of nan position."

President Trump purchased Turnberry 5 years aft it past hosted nan Open and has since spent £200m connected improvements. In 2023 he publically called for it to big nan Open again.

New R&A main executive Mark Darbon said past week he "would love" nan people to big nan tourney again, and that logistical issues are nan stumbling block, not who owns it.

The number of spectators attending nan Open has dramatically accrued since 120,000 group attended Turnberry successful 2009, pinch 278,000 spectators group to be this year's arena astatine Royal Portrush.

A feasibility study has been commissioned to measure whether nan venue and municipality is equipped to header pinch specified numbers, pinch mobility marks complete carrier and accommodation.

Darbon's stance is simply a important displacement from that of his predecessor, Martin Slumbers, who had powerfully suggested nan people would not beryllium restored to nan Open rota while Trump was associated pinch nan venue, expressing concerns that nan attraction would beryllium disconnected nan course.

That led to suggestions that Whitehall officials person pushed for nan Open to return to Turnberry, pinch ministers keen to please Trump successful nan aftermath of his tariff argumentation and ongoing waste and acquisition talks betwixt nan 2 countries.

Sources from some sides contradict immoderate unit has been applied.

In February, it was reported that White House officials raised nan anticipation of Turnberry returning arsenic a venue for nan Open during nan premier minster's sojourn to Washington. King Charles moreover referenced nan people successful a missive inviting nan president to a 2nd authorities sojourn to nan UK.