Slumbering Through The Trump Talk

We had reports that the R&A bought some time by saying Trump Turnberry was not a rota option, and the initial takeaway suggested the time-buying news was quite successful.

But in reading Ewan Murray's Guardian take on the St. Andrews gathering hosted by new R&A Chief Martin Slumbers, the session was more awkward than previously realized.

One glance at Slumbers’ increasingly uncomfortable demeanour on Monday, however, illustrated the impact of the Trump/Turnberry union. The issue here is straightforward; can the R&A retain the Ailsa course as an Open venue while Trump – advocating blocking Mexicans, banning Muslims and causing widespread offence as part of his campaign to become president of the United States – holds the keys? Surely the alliance is at best incongruous, at worst impossible?

Slumbers seemed somewhat taken aback by the level of scrutiny afforded to this topic, offering a continual willingness to “focus on the golf”. Good luck with that, as the world and its uncle offer opinion on what penalties or otherwise should be attached to Trump’s vociferously stated views. The chief executive slipped down the disappointing and cliched road of being unwilling to publicly mix sport and politics; not only is that crossover the very essence of this debate, it is ludicrous to insist the two never shall meet.

Just when the R&A stepped into something approaching modernity with the acceptance of female members, another monumental narrative with far-reaching implications landed at the door.

James Corrigan's Telegraph take focuses on Trump's comments that the golf business isn't as interesting to him as making America great again. A revelation Corrigan says could be a positive for the sport.