TRUMP’S VICTORY SHOULD BRING THE OPEN GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP BACK TO TURNBERRY

Donald Trump’s comprehensive victory in the US presidential election, where 75 million Americans voted for him to return to the White House, compared to 71 million who voted for Kamala Harris, has indisputably created a new international agenda. As America’s 47^thpresident-elect he swept up 312 of the electoral votes in comparison to Harris’ 226. Trump’s Republicans now also have complete control of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Like him or hate him, he has become, unquestionably, the most powerful leader in the world. One month on from Trump’s spectacular victory, what will the future hold for his properties in Scotland?

At Menie in Aberdeenshire, his golf course has now been listed as in the top one hundred best courses worldwide. Work is underway to complete a second 18-hole course by next year. Trump is investing hundreds of millions in Scotland and yet we still treat him as a sort of ogre. For instance, is it not time for Golf’s R & A to bin its cancel culture and reinstate the fabulous Ailsa Championship Course at Turnberry in Ayrshire, which Trump owns, onto the rota for hosting The Open?

The R & A struck Turnberry off the list of championship venues in 2021 after the January riots at the Capitol in Washington DC, when Trump was accused of inciting an insurgency. Martin Slumbers, the outgoing CEO and Secretary of the R & A, golf’s governing body, stated at the time: “We had no plans to stage any of our championships at Turnberry and will not do so in the foreseeable future. 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.” But Eric Trump, one of the president-elect’s sons and Executive Vice President of the Trump Organization, has claimed that Turnberry was a victim of politics. In an interview during the presidential election, he said: “Well, there are a lot of downsides to politics. It creates politically charged worlds and Turnberry was a victim.”

Turnberry has hosted The Open on four spellbinding occasions. The first, in 1977, has gone down in golfing legend, when Tom Watson defeated Jack Nicklaus on the final green in the famous ‘Duel in the Sun’. The last time The Open was played at Turnberry was in 2009 when 59-year-old Tom Watson almost did it again to win what would have been his sixth Open Championship title. Watson was up by a stroke at the 72nd hole, then his approach shot took an ill-fated bounce on the front of the green, before running off the back, leading to a bogey. Watson then lost a four-hole playoff with Stewart Cink, who clinched his only major title and was awarded the famous claret jug.  Last July Turnberry was by-passed when the R & A chose Royal Troon to host the tournament instead.

Donald Trump purchased the luxury 5-star Turnberry Hotel, Spa and golf courses in 2014, spending millions upgrading the hotel and completely re-designing the three links courses and Club house. Golfers wax lyrical about Turnberry as a coastal paradise, and the Ailsa course in particular, with its gently undulating links and spectacular views across the Firth of Clyde to Ailsa Craig, Arran, the Mull of Kintyre and, on a clear day, Northern Ireland. It is one of the finest links courses in the world, with landmark highlights like the ruins of the 13^th century castle where King Robert the Bruce was born and the famous lighthouse, built in 1873 and now converted into a luxury two-bedroomed suite. The hotel is now regarded as a prime venue for international golfers and for royalty and celebrities alike, having played host in the past to Prince Edward, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Rod Stewart, Jack Nicholson, Luciano Pavarotti and many others. There are fears that if the Open returns to Turnberry there are not enough local hotel rooms to accommodate the huge crowds. But this was never an issue in the past and Trump can be relied upon to construct more quality accommodation if the need arises.

Last year the re-branded Trump Turnberry posted its first ever profits of over £3.8 million. The golf courses are a major driver for the resort’s profitability and a huge boost for the South Ayrshire economy. There are very few people living and working in the Girvan, Turnberry, Maidens area who have a bad word to say about the Trump Organization, which they claim has brought jobs and prosperity to the district. Bringing the claret jug back to Turnberry would be hugely important economically and there is no doubt that the Trump Organization would be the perfect hosts.

Eric Trump says his family business has invested over $200 million (£160 million) in the hotel and golf courses and “we’ll do something very special” if The Open returns to the Ailsa course. “If we get the call, and I sincerely hope we do, I promise the Royal & Ancient (R&A) that we will be the best hosts the Open Championship has ever seen,” he said.

It is time for Scotland to cancel its cancel culture and accept that we might fare better to show friendship to a politician, who despite his myriad flaws, shows a deep love for our country. Donald Trump’s father was a German/American, born in New York City’s Bronx. But his mother was a Gaelic-speaking Scot, Mary Anne MacLeod, from the village of Tong on the Isle of Lewis. Mary Anne MacLeod migrated to America in 1930 as a teenager, working for several years as a domestic servant, until she met and married Frederick Trump in 1936. When asked about his views on Scotland during a visit in 2016, Trump championed his half-Scottish heritage stating: “Very special people and a very special place”.

Trump’s affection for our nation is something we should embrace, rather than reject in a welter of name-calling and verbal abuse. The decision to remove Turnberry from The Open rota was political and politics should have no place in sport. The Ailsa is arguably the world’s greatest golf course, loved by players and spectators alike. That surely should be enough to secure the backing of the R & A?