It was announced on Wednesday that the Renaissance Club will stage the Genesis Scottish Open for the next five years. That particular links course is adjacent to Muirfield and it would make it almost impossible to have these tournaments in consecutive weeks as the succulent schedule dictates. So it seems that 2031 is Muirfield’s next chance. The Honourable Company has been around for almost 300 years and will have to remain patient. As will Trump.
At least he has his return to the PGA Tour to look forward to. Next week, Trump National Doral, his Miami resort, will be the stage for the $20m Cadillac Championship. Nicknamed “the Blue Monster”, the storied layout was the scene of a World Golf Championship event until 2016, when, after its owner had ascended to the Oval Office, it was moved to Mexico City. “I hope the tour has kidnapping insurance,” was Trump’s memorable reaction.
The relationship turned bitter, but a decade on, it is all smiles again, with McIlroy expected to make his first start since retaining the Masters title two weeks ago.
Lytham will be thrilled if it does get the nod to continue its rich history of hosting the top events.
This would be its 12th Open Championship and it has also been the stage for two Ryder Cups. In August it will host the Women’s Open after being the scene for the victory of Scotland’s Catriona Matthew and England’s Georgia Hall in 2009 and 2018 respectively. Tony Jacklin won the Open there in 1969 and that was the last time an Englishman lifted the Claret Jug on English soil.
Like Muirfield, Lytham has also been obliged to bring in the bulldozers at the R&A’s behest, remodelling the much-respected Lancashire layout – including a new hole – that will free up space for the requisite infrastructure. The R&A should be congratulated for not losing faith in such a classic course.
Royal St George’s is another possibility, but the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles have forced the R&A to move the Open back two weeks, making it a more challenging prospect for the Sandwich layout in August. It is difficult enough to get a field of 156 around 18 holes in a day and at that time of year Lytham has approximately 30 minutes more daylight.