NY Times: Trump Instructed U.S. Ambassador To U.K. To Bring The Open To Turnberry

The New York Times’ Mark Lander, Lara Jakes and Maggie Haberman report that President Donald Trump asked his appointed U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom to help steer The Open Championship back to Trump Turnberry Resort.

The course last hosted The Open in 2009 as Turnberry resort, and was purchased in 2014 by Trump, subsequently renovated, impressively upgraded (my review here for GolfDigest.com), and has since not returned to The Open rota.

According to the reporting, American ambassador and New York Jets owner Robert Wood Johnson IV, was advised against any attempt at intervening by his deputy, Lewis Lukens, who later was removed from his position.

Whether the idea ever got to the R&A, hosts of The Open, is unclear. However, according to the report…

But Mr. Johnson apparently felt pressured to try. A few weeks later, he raised the idea of Turnberry playing host to the Open with the secretary of state for Scotland, David Mundell.

In a brief interview last week, Mr. Mundell said it was “inappropriate” for him to discuss his dealings with Mr. Johnson and referred to a British government statement that said Mr. Johnson “made no request of Mr. Mundell regarding the British Open or any other sporting event.”

The White House has declined to comment on President Trump’s instructions to Johnson.

The Times story probes whether the request would have been a violation of the “emoluments” clause and the importance of securing professional tournaments at Trump properties to the bottom line.

As recently as February, R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said Turnberry remained in the rota even as courses in the vicinity (aka Troon) will have hosted two Opens since Turnberry last did. Slumbers cited something about crowd size. No one is really buying it.

Just over a week ago, Scotland on Sunday’s Martyn McLaughlin reported that the Trump organization is working on plans to significantly develop acreage adjacent to Turnberry.