President Donald Trump & # 039; s Turnberry stands for Open waiting while Royal Troon 2023 is called host

Henrik Stenson from Sweden won the last Open tournament held in 2016 in Royal Troon

President Donald Trump waits a long wait before his Turnberry golf course organizes the Open.

The Ayrshire course, which last organized the championship in 2009, was overlooked for the 2023 tournament being organized by Royal Troon, just seven years after it was last played there.

And it seems unlikely that Turnberry will return to the Open Rota in the near future, despite £ 200 million in improvements since the US president bought the resort in 2014.

The R&A governing body wants larger crowds at the championship and Turnberry & # 39; s remote location means it attracts the smallest attendance at one of the Open locations.

"Great crowds are needed to make great sports," R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers told BBC Sport. "We aim to increase the number of spectators."

Troon, where Henrik Stenson won an exciting duel with Phil Mickelson in 2016, has been selected to organize the event in 2023 on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Open is being played there for the first time.

But the location also offers greater proximity to Glasgow and a road network that allows larger crowds to be present. More than 170,000 people watched the Stenson triumph four years ago.

If you can't get the crowds and the media out there, it doesn't work how we see the championship today

Martin Slumbers R&A chief executive

"We spend so much now time over the infrastructure to get the crowds in the tournament like over the golf course. That balance has changed a lot in the last five years.

"You know, you can have a great golf course, but if you take the media can't get there and the sponsors inside, it doesn't work how we see the championship today, "Slumber added.

" Turnberry's main problem is getting the infrastructure in order . We work with the government and the tourist office to see what can be done, but that is a long-term point.

"You arrive at the golf course in Turnberry and it is beautiful."

The problem will come. The main A77 road to the resort is a roadway and hinders traffic plans that are needed to bring large numbers of spectators to the event.

In 2009, the last time it was played in Turnberry, Tom Watson almost became the oldest winner at the age of 59. The crowds of the week were an estimated 130,000 people.

The presence of all Royal St George & # 39; s tickets at Sandwich in July in Kent is expected to be over 200,000.

& # 39; It should be Edinburgh & # 39; s Open & # 39;

Muirfield, which changed its membership policy to include women before it could be considered, was also overlooked for the 2023 championship.

Like Turnberry, the qualities of the East Lothian courses are not up for discussion, but the ability to attract large enough numbers counted against it.

"It should be Edinburgh & # 39; s Open," Slumbers said. "A big city, it should embrace the Open in Scotland at Muirfield. If we can do that, we can increase the crowds and I'd like to organize another Open around Muirfield."

there must, however, be some sort of cooperation with the local government that allowed Royal Portrush to return to the Open Rota in Northern Ireland last year.

Referring to Muirfield, Slumbers added, "We must do more work to get it there.

" Northern Ireland has really invested in getting it right and I want it to get we work closer with the [Scottish] VVV and the government to actually offer the same quality of support. "

It seems a more likely scenario that Muirfield will hold the Women & Open, now fully run by the R&A, before the & # 39; s world's best men return to the course.

"I think that would be an interesting idea," Slumbers said.