US PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s Aberdeenshire golf course is set to host a world tour tournament for the first time this year.
With a prize purse of around £2.25 million, the DP World Tour event at Trump International Scotland Golf Links is lined up for this August and will be officially announced within the next fortnight, The Times has reported.
The news comes after the course, which was opened in 2012, reported its 11th consecutive annual loss in October, with pre-tax figures revealing a £1.4m deficit for 2023.
It is the first time the former European Tour will take a regular event to a Trump-owned course in Europe, but is unlikely to draw a star-studded line-up as its date clashes with both the FedEx St Jude Championship, the first event in the PGA Tour’s season-ending play-offs, and LIV Golf’s event in Chicago.
The DP World Tour event follows Trump’s attempts to woo the heads of the R&A, which organises the Open championship, to allow him to host the tournament at his Turnberry course in South Ayrshire.
UK officials have also asked the championship organisers what the hurdles would be to hosting the 2028 Open at Turnberry, the Guardian reported this week.
One source said the talks were direct lobbying from the UK Government while another told the Guardian: “The government is doing everything it can to get close to Trump.
“One concrete thing is that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have been involved in pushing for the Open to return to Trump-owned Turnberry.”
Two other people reportedly briefed on conversations between the US President and Keir Starmer said Trump had asked the Prime Minister multiple times about hosting the Open at Turnberry.
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister did not deny the claims, but told the BBC that any contact the UK Government had with sporting bodies was “part of the business of government” and not hosting decisions.
“I wouldn't get into specific conversations but it's for sporting bodies to make decisions on tournament venues, not the government," the spokesperson said.
“Obviously, the government is in regular contact with sporting bodies on tournaments in the usual way, but not beyond that.”
A spokesperson for the R&A said: “We regularly engage with government and local government regarding venues.
“We have explained the logistical challenges around Turnberry to the government and they are aware of the position.”
Last November, the then-head of the R&A said he did not want “media noise” detracting from the game.
However, since then, the organisation has changed leadership with March Darbon, the new chief executive, saying he would like to see the championship return to Turnberry “at some point”.
