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PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — President Donald Trump won’t be getting to host a British Open at his Turnberry resort anytime soon, according to the R&A, which governs the world’s oldest major championship.
Mark Darbon, the new chief executive of the R&A, said Wednesday that the reason Turnberry is on the outside looking in is not political, but more about transportation issues accessing the golf course located on the west coast of Scotland.
Turnberry has hosted the Open Championship four times, the first being 1977, the famous “Duel in the Sun’’ when Tom Watson defeated Jack Nicklaus, and the last being in 2009, when Watson lost in a playoff to Stewart Cink.
Darbon, who took over at the R&A this year from Martin Slumbers, said Turnberry had not been taken off the list of potential Open sites, but that transportation and other issues need to be addressed before it can become an option again.
“I think we’ve been extremely clear on our position in respect of Turnberry,’’ Darbon said. “We love the golf course, but we’ve got some big logistical challenges there. You see the scale of their setup here, and we’ve got some work to do on the road, rail and accommodation infrastructure around Turnberry.”
Darbon revealed that the R&A met with Eric Trump and other leaders of Trump Golf a few months ago.
“I think they understand clearly where we’re coming from,’’ Darbon said. “We talked through some of the challenges that we have, so we’ve got a good dialogue with them.
Turnberry falling out of the rotation after 2009 was perceived by many to be political after Trump bought the course in 2014.
Henrik Stenson tees off on the 10th hole with the Turnberry Lighthouse in the background, during a practice round for the British Open Golf Championship at Turnberry Golf Course, on July 11, 2009. APSlumbers previously said the R&A would not be going to Turnberry until it was comfortable the focus would be on the golf and not the owner.
Trump, a golf fanatic who owns numerous golf courses, has always wanted to host a major championship yet never has.
There has been recent speculation that Trump might ask the British government to intercede in getting the Open back to Turnberry.
“We have an ongoing dialogue with the U.K. government, given that we’re a major event that creates significant value into the U.K. economy,” Darbon said. “We’ve spoken to them specifically about Turnberry, and I think they’ve made it clear that the decision around where we take our championship rests with us,” Darbon said.
Donald Trump is welcomed as he arrives at his Turnberry golf course, in Turnberry, Scotland on June 24, 2016. Reuters“I would find it difficult to predict whether there will be any discussion on the Open if the president is making a visit here.”
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