Seve Ballesteros won two of his three Open titles at Royal Lytham & St Annes
The Open Championship will return to Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2028, with US President Donald Trump's Turnberry and Muirfield among the courses not selected to host the event.
Turnberry last hosted The Open in 2009, five years before Trump acquired the course, while Muirfield has not held the tournament since 2013.
Last year, officials from the R&A met with Trump's son Eric to discuss the possibility of The Open returning to Turnberry.
At that time, R&A chief executive Mark Darbon noted there were
"big logistical issues"at the venue.
Darbon also acknowledged that the UK government had engaged in discussions with the R&A regarding Turnberry hosting The Open.
When asked on Monday about the futures of Turnberry and Muirfield as Open venues, he stated that
"dialogue was ongoing".
The 2028 Open will mark the 12th time the tournament has been held at Royal Lytham, which last hosted golf's oldest major in 2012.
Darbon described the venue as
"one of golf's most cherished and historic venues."
The return to Lytham will be the third occasion in six years that the northwest coast of England hosts The Open.
The Open was held at Royal Liverpool in 2023 and is scheduled to be hosted by Royal Birkdale in Southport from 16-19 July this year.
In 2027, the Old Course at St Andrews will stage the event for a record-extending 31st time.
The Open, traditionally the final major of the year, is usually played during the third week of July but will be moved to 3-6 August in 2028 to avoid overlapping with the Los Angeles Olympic Games golf competitions, which take place from 19-29 July.
Why Royal Lytham got the nod
Located near Blackpool, Royal Lytham & St Annes has a distinguished history of hosting prestigious golf tournaments.
The course has hosted 11 Open Championships, five Women's Opens, two Ryder Cups, five Senior Opens, the Walker Cup, and the Curtis Cup.
Although situated close to the coast, neither players nor spectators can see the sea, as the course is confined by a railway track and surrounding houses.
The R&A has required Royal Lytham to undertake significant modifications to accommodate the demands of a modern Open.
The primary alteration involved remodeling the par-five 11th hole—transforming it from a dog-leg into a 601-yard straight hole by removing numerous bushes—to allow for the construction of a new practice area.
Additional improvements include enhancements to the course's internal road system to provide better access and facilitate routine maintenance.
These changes will be highlighted when the course hosts the AIG Women's Open from 29 July to 2 August.
The Open first visited Lytham in 1926, with legendary American amateur Bobby Jones—who later helped design Augusta National and co-founded the Masters—winning the first of his three Claret Jugs there.
Spanish golf great Seve Ballesteros secured two of his three Open victories at Lytham, in 1979 and 1988.
Why not Turnberry or Muirfield?
Turnberry, which last hosted its fourth Open in 2009, faces significant logistical challenges despite its Ailsa Course being recognized as one of the world’s finest layouts.
Darbon expressed last year that he
"would love"to return to the Ayrshire course on Scotland's west coast and that a feasibility study had been commissioned.
This appeared to soften the R&A's previous stance, as Darbon's predecessor, Martin Slumbers, had strongly suggested in 2021 that the course would not return to the Open rota while Trump was associated with the venue, citing concerns that attention would focus on off-course issues.
Trump purchased the resort in 2014 and has invested £200 million in improvements.
was informed last year that the UK government had inquired about the R&A's position.
Darbon clarified that the main issue is not ownership of Turnberry but whether the venue and the town can handle the number of attendees expected at the tournament.
He noted that the total attendance at Turnberry 17 years ago was 120,000, whereas Royal Portrush, which hosted last year's Open, accommodated 280,000 spectators.
Muirfield, located 18 miles east of Edinburgh, is one of Scotland's most historic courses and has hosted The Open 16 times, although not since 2013.
Two logistical issues currently affect the course.
Darbon highlighted infrastructure challenges related to practice facilities, while the long-term hosting of the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club—adjacent to Muirfield—adds further complications.
Last week, the Scottish Open signed a deal to remain at the Renaissance until 2030, with the tournament scheduled the week before The Open to allow players time to adapt to the unique challenges of seaside links courses.
