R&A has no plans to stage future championships at Trump-owned Turnberry Golf Course
CNN/Stylemagazine.com Newswire | 1/11/2021, 2:50 p.m.
By Aleks Klosok and Ben Morse, CNN
(CNN) -- The R&A on Monday announced that it has no plans to stage any future championships at the Trump Turnberry golf course and resort in Scotland.
The organization oversees The Open Championship, which is the world's oldest men's major golf championship, as well as the Women's British Open, among others.
"We had no plans to stage any of our championships at Turnberry and will not do so in the foreseeable future," R&A Chief Executive Martin Slumbers said in a statement.
"We will not return until we are convinced that the focus will be on the championship, the players and the course itself and we do not believe that is achievable in the current circumstances."
Turnberry is one of two high-profile courses outgoing US President Donald Trump owns in Scotland, the other being the Trump International Golf Links situated amid the dunes of Aberdeen.
On Sunday, the PGA of America announced that the 2022 PGA Championship would not be played at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey.
The Trump Turnberry golf course did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment.
The Turnberry's new "King Robert the Bruce" golf course was opened in 2017 by President Trump's son, Eric. It is named after the legendary Scottish nobleman.
Robert Bruce, famed for his victory against the English at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, was said to have grown up at Turnberry Castle in Ayrshire.
The US president bought the Turnberry resort in 2014 and ploughed millions of dollars into an upgrade of the hotel and the famous Ailsa course.
Turnberry has hosted four Open Championships, most recently in 2009 when Stewart Cink beat 59-year-old Tom Watson in a playoff.