PGA Tour winner likely to raise eyebrows at the R&A with Turnberry claim

Three-time PGA Tour winner Scott McCarron has implored officials at the R&A to take The Open Championship back to Turnberry. 

The Ayrshire resort was taken off the rota following the U.S. Capitol riots in 2021. 

Donald Trump has owned the resort since 2014 and was widely implicated in what transpired on 6 January that year. 

Outgoing R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers previously confirmed in a statement that the governing body had no plans to stage any Opens at Turnberry until they are convinced the focus will be on the championship. 

McCarron took to X on 29 July after he played Turnberry over the weekend having missed the cut at the Senior Open at Carnoustie. 

"Had a great day playing ⁦@TrumpTurnberry," wrote the 59-year-old American 

"One of the best golf courses in Scotland. R&A needs to get this back in Open rotation."

The 153rd Open Championship in 2025 will be staged at Royal Portrush. 

A year later, golf's oldest major will be played at Royal Birkdale.

Beyond that, nothing is confirmed. 

R&A 'fully supportive' of Portmarnock bid

Last October the R&A said they were keen to explore the possibility of staging The Open or Women's Open at Portmarnock in the Republic of Ireland. 

Speaking at his annual news conference before the 152nd Open at Royal Troon, the aforementioned Slumbers confirmed the Irish course has asked the Government for support in putting together a business case. 

"We are fully supportive of the club doing that, and we are actively engaged in making those assessments," Slumbers said. 

"But no decisions have been made because we don't even know if it's possible."

Niall Goulding, the club captain at Portmarnock, recently told Today's Golfer: "There’s an evaluation that has to be done by the government because we recognize we can't do this by ourselves. 

"It will be a matter for themselves with input from the R&A. 

"If that goes well, we'll get on to the next stage, but as things stand at the moment, we have nothing further to add except this is an investigation process. 

"But it also declares that we are interested in it and it also clearly means that the R&A are interested as well."

He added: "The R&A would highlight that there are significant infrastructural requirements needed. 

"Everybody recognises that Portmarnock village is a busy place.

"In hosting these big championships there's a lot of work to be done to consider how this works. 

"That would be a concern for ourselves and that will be part of their evaluation process.

"It would be very much the R&A's call as to what the next steps are but there is an evaluation process and we have no control over that.

"We have no certainty in terms of the outcome."

Elsewhere, Slumbers did not rule out the prospect of The Open returning to Muirfield. 

The major has not been played there in 2013 when Phil Mickelson captured the claret jug. 

"Absolutely, we're going back to Muirfield," Slumbers said. 

Slumbers said he would have a conversation with European Tour Group chief executive Guy Kinnings about moving the Scottish Open from The Renaissance Club. 

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