Is Trump Turnberry "really off the British Open rota?" asked Alex Miceli of GOLFWEEK. Not "according to Donald Trump."
The leading U.S. Republican presidential candidate "was unaware of any issues with the R&A and instead is moving forward with proposed changes to the iconic property in Scotland." About Turnberry being taken off the British Open rota, Trump said, "I haven't been told that at an all, no. We're working together with the R&A on the design. We have redesigned it, and it's almost completed. It will be opened in July and, no, I haven't heard that at all." Trump's "fiery remarks" about Muslims, Mexicans, Chinese and women "clearly has made it more difficult for the R&A to select Turnberry for its next British Open vacancy, in 2020." Trump bought Turnberry in April '14 and promised a £200M-plus ($290M) upgrade "that included significant changes to the Ailsa Course that has hosted four British Opens: 1977, ’86, ’94 and most recently in 2009 when Stewart Cink defeated Tom Watson in a playoff." The R&A also contributed approximately £500,000 ($725,000) toward infrastructure improvements at Turnberry, "which is consistent with what the governing body has done at other Open venues to facilitate the telecast" (GOLFWEEK, 2/13).
