British Open organizers are "biding their time before deciding whether Turnberry should be removed from the championship rotation" following recent immigration comments made by course owner Donald Trump, according to the AP. Trump in April '14 bought Turnberry, which has "has hosted the British Open four times," most recently in '09. Outgoing R&A CEO Peter Dawson said, "We'll just let a bit of time pass, and future championship committees will deal with them at the time." The Ricoh Women's British Open is "to be played this month at Turnberry, and organizers have said there are no plans to change the venue" (AP, 7/15). Meanwhile, GOLFCHANNEL.com's Randall Mell noted Trump is "firing back" at LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan after the women's tour "issued a statement last week suggesting it would prefer" the women’s event to be played elsewhere. In a letter from Trump to Whan dated Monday, Trump "takes the commissioner to task for his 'nasty statement,' accuses him of lacking 'common decency,' and provocatively offers to allow him to move the Women’s British Open to a new site on short notice despite 'an absolutely binding contract.'” Trump in part wrote, "You never called to tell me this, as common decency would have dictated, but rather just put it out to the media. ... You have an absolutely binding contract to play the great Turnberry Alisa course, but based on your rude comment to the press, please let this letter serve to represent that, subject to a conversation with me on the details, I would be willing to let you play the Women’s British Open, in two weeks, at another course rather than magnificent Turnberry (which I own). I think you have done an extraordinary disservice to women’s golf, but in no way will that diminish my respect for the women on the LPGA tour or their great golfing talent" (GOLFCHANNEL.com, 7/14).
