The British Open will be held at Royal Lytham & St Anne’s for the first time in 16 years in 2028, but the futures of Muirfield and Turnberry remain uncertain.
The R&A announced on Monday that the historic links course on the outskirts of Blackpool will hold its 12th Open since 2012, when Ernie Els lifted the Claret Jug after Adam Scott’s late fall.
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The British Open will be held at Royal Birkdale this year and the Old Course at St Andrews in 2027, but R&A chief executive Mark Darbon could not give a confirmation as to whether Muirfield, which last hosted it in 2013, or Turnberry, which last hosted it in 2009, would return to the rotation.
The Turnberry course on the Ayrshire coastline is widely regarded as one of the world’s finest courses, but the British Open has not been held since it was bought by US President Donald Trump in 2014. According to reports last summer, the idea of the British Open returning to Turnberry was brought to President Trump in an effort to improve relations between Britain and the United States, and R&A officials met with President Trump’s son Eric last year to discuss the possibility.
But Turnberry’s absence from the British Open rotation is due to logistical rather than political reasons, and that may not change until local infrastructure improves.
“As you know, like many venues, there are some things that have to be overcome in order for the modern British Open Championship to go smoothly,” Darbon said. “Turnberry is still in our thoughts. We really like the golf course and we know there are some logistical challenges, mainly off the course, with road, rail and accommodation infrastructure.”
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Mr Darbon said Royal Lytham and St Anne’s is “one of golf’s most cherished and historic venues and the return of the Open to these famous links will spark huge interest from fans to take part in one of the world’s great sporting events and celebrate the rich heritage of golf’s original championship.”
He also said attendance at this summer’s Open at Royal Birkdale would exceed 300,000 for the first time. The previous record was 290,000 at St Andrews in 2022, but this summer’s predictions are that it will break the previous record of 235,000 set nine years ago at Southport Links.
