Trump Turnberry’s return to host golf’s oldest major looks even more remote after the R & A, and organisers of golf’s oldest major, indicated the 2023 Open will be heading to Royal Troon.

Turnberry, as it was known before being taken over by the Trump organisation, last hosted The Open in 2009 when American Stuart Cink defeated five-time former Open winner, Tom Watson in a play-off.

Concerns, and as reported in the Daily Record, have surrounded the political implications of staging the R&A’s top event at Turnberry, which was bought by Donald Trump in 2014.

The USA President, who has since passed control of the resort to his son, splashed £200m on overhauling its courses and hotel.

Eriic Trump confident Trump Turnberry will get back onto the Open Championship rota (Photo – Turnberry)

And last year, R&A chiefs confirmed the Carrick resort was “in consideration” to play host to the globe’s top golfers.

But today’s move to shy away from one of the world’s leading courses has left Turnberry on the fringes again.

However, Eric Trump and who President Donald Trump passed responsibility for running all of the Trump-names courses, vowed Turnberry will eventually return to the Open rota.

Speaking exclusively to the Ayrshire Post, resort boss Eric said: “By almost everyone’s account, Turnberry is the best course on the Open rota.

“We know that the event will return here one day and we very much look forward to that day.

“The hotel has never been as successful as it is right now.

“The golf course is also widely recognised as one of the very best in the world and the accolades continue to come for it.

“We’re very proud of what we’ve done here and when the time is right, the tournament will absolutely be back.”

Royal Troon last hosted The Open in 2016 and won by Henrik Stenson and in taking golf’s oldest major back to the course in 2013 will be on the occasion of the club’s 100th anniversary of the first time the Open was held at the venue in 1923.

“We are very much looking forward to celebrating another milestone in the cherished history of The Open,” said R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers.