Why Turnberry was passed over for the Open, again
09, 11 26 22:05
With the announcement that Carnoustie will host the Open Championship in 2029, The R & A's chief executive Mark Darbon explained why Turnberry had yet again been found wanting, despite last year claiming that 'Turnberry is still in our thinking.'
Interviewed by Sky, Mr Darbon admitted, 'The last time we were at Turnberry in 2009, we had 120,000 people there. These days a modern Open caters for 250,000 people-plus, and so we need the road and rail infrastructure to get our fan base there.'
With attendance records regularly being broken whenever the Open is staged at the Old Course, but less than 12% of attendees using the GolfLink train & bus ticket to reach St Andrews (compared with 26% taking the train straight to Carnoustie), it could be that the ability of the Home of Golf to host the championship could be called into question after 2027.
The Essentially Sports article which features the interview with Mr Darbon can be found at:
https://www.essentiallysports.com/golf-news-ra-executive-reveals-reason-behind-trumps-turnberry-snub-as-two-zero-two-nine-host-is-announced/
Interviewed by Sky, Mr Darbon admitted, 'The last time we were at Turnberry in 2009, we had 120,000 people there. These days a modern Open caters for 250,000 people-plus, and so we need the road and rail infrastructure to get our fan base there.'
With attendance records regularly being broken whenever the Open is staged at the Old Course, but less than 12% of attendees using the GolfLink train & bus ticket to reach St Andrews (compared with 26% taking the train straight to Carnoustie), it could be that the ability of the Home of Golf to host the championship could be called into question after 2027.
The Essentially Sports article which features the interview with Mr Darbon can be found at:
https://www.essentiallysports.com/golf-news-ra-executive-reveals-reason-behind-trumps-turnberry-snub-as-two-zero-two-nine-host-is-announced/