Senior figures in the R&A reportedly "do not want the Open Championship to return to Turnberry" while Donald Trump is president of the U.S. because he would "suck the air out of" the tournament, according to Tom Peterkin of the SCOTSMAN. The claim "has been made" by Sports Illustrated's Alan Shipnuck, who claimed to have "spoken with a high-ranking individual within golf's ruling body" who thought Trump's presence at "the game's oldest and most prestigious competition would be an unhelpful distraction." Trump bought the Ayrshire links in '14. The "hugely controversial nature of his politics, including his provocative remarks about Muslims" and his plans for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, "have led to Scottish politicians suggesting that Turnberry should be taken off The Open rota." Shipnuck "disclosed the details of the conversation in a GOLF.com podcast." He said, "I talked to a high-ranking person at the R&A about where Turnberry fits into this, because those tweedy blokes have kind of made it clear they don't want to host an Open and have Donald Trump suck the air out of it. It's hard to think about Turnberry not hosting an Open in Donald Trump's lifetime, so they said -- this person who I spoke to -- said, 'We really don't want to do it while he's president, because we know he would show up, because how could he stay away?'" (SCOTSMAN, 9/10).
