Open Championship told ‘focus on golf’ as organisers BLACKLIST Donald Trump's course
Open Championship organisers have been told to 'focus on golf'
GB News
Organisers of The Open Championship have been told to “focus on the golf” following their decision to blacklist Donald Trump’s Turnberry course from hosting the competition.
Trump Turnberry General Manager Ralph Porciani told GB News that the course’s world class facilities should be enough to secure the honour.
The facility in Scotland will be barred from hosting The Open until the ex-President sells it, according to new reports.
Organising body R&A are adamant that Turnberry will not be considered, according to The Telegraph.
Speaking on GB News, Porciani said golfers are likely to be disappointed by the revelation.
He told Nigel Farage: “I think what is important here is the golfers.
“Too often people don’t put the work stuff to one side. We need to focus on golf.
“The Ailsa course is a magnificent course, it is number one in the UK, Ireland and Europe.
Donald Trump is hopeful The Open will take place at his golf resort one day
PA / Stuart Mitchell / GB News“The question I get asked every day by hundreds of golfers who come through Turnberry is ‘when?’
“I can’t answer that, the question I hate to get asked is ‘why not?’ Because I can’t think of a valid reason not to bring it back to the Ailsa Course.”
Despite the setback, the Trump family remain defiant, with Donald’s son Eric telling the Telegraph they remain “deeply committed to the Open Championship whenever the call is received”.
“My family is deeply committed to Scotland and has one singular focus – preserving Turnberry as the best golf course anywhere in the world,” he said.
During his last visit to the course on 3 May, Trump gave an exclusive interview to GB News about the “tremendous amount of money” being ploughed into the course’s redevelopment.
He told Nigel Farage: “We’re going to make a couple of little minor adjustments but it’s fantastic. Everybody wants to see the Open Championship here – the players, it’s their favourite course, it’s the No 1-rated in Europe.”
The R&A’s chief executive, Martin Slumbers, said in January 2021 that his organisation “had no plans to stage any of our championships at Turnberry and will not do so in the foreseeable future”.
The group’s position appears unchanged, with an insider telling The Telegraph: “The way it looks now, he would have to sell up before anything changes.”