New golf chief softens on Trump Turnberry stance

R&A boss'would love'Open to return to Ailsa course

- PAUL BEHAN

Top brass at the R&A have softened their stance with regards to Trump Turnberry hosting a future Open Championship.

Chief executive Mark Darbon confirmed they would “love to return at some stage” to the famous Ailsa course.

However, Darbon measured his comments by highlighting the ‘challenges’ that would need to be overcome in terms of staging the Open at Turnberry, given its size, the area of the site and access to and from the venue.

His comments are, however, in stark contrast to the ones made by his predecessor, Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, back in 2021.

He previously stated: “We have no plans to stage any of our championships at Turnberry and will not do so in the foreseeable future. We will not return until we are convinced that the focus will be on the championship, the players and the course itself and we do not believe that is achievable in the current circumstances.”

At the time the statement was viewed as criticism of billionaire owner Donald Trump, who has owned Turnberry since 2014.