Trump course to host revived Scottish Championship

Donald Trump's Aberdeenshire golf course will host a DP World Tour event for the first time as the Scottish Championship returns to the circuit from 7-10 August.

The event has been played once before, in October 2020 at Fairmont St Andrews, and will replace the cancelled Czech Masters.

Owned by the president of the United States, the Trump International course in the Menie area, 10 miles north of Aberdeen, opened in 2012 and staged PGA seniors tournaments in 2023 and 2024.

Guy Kinnings, CEO of the DP World Tour, said: "Trump International Golf Links Scotland has already earned a reputation as one of the best modern links courses in the UK and it promises to be an excellent venue for the return of the Scottish Championship."

The tournament, with a $2.75m (£2m) prize fund, will coincide with the FedEx St Jude Championship in the PGA Tour's season-ending play-offs, as well as the Chicago event in LIV Golf.

President Trump, who purchased Turnberry in 2014, handed over control of his Scottish golf courses to his sons shortly before he took office at the White House for the first time in 2017 but has retained a financial interest.

Eric Trump, executive vice-president of The Trump Organisation and son of the president, said securing the Scottish Championship was a "significant milestone".

It comes following claims that President Trump has made repeated requests for the 2028 Open Championship to be held at Turnberry.

The UK government last week said it would be up to the R&A, organisers of the major, to decide which course stages the tournament.

President Trump and White House officials have reportedly spoken to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer about the Open returning to the Ayrshire venue, which last hosted the event in 2009.

BBC Sport has been told by several sources that the UK government has asked the R&A about its position on the matter in recent months.

Some £200m of improvements have been carried out at Turnberry since the Trump acquisition of the course.

New R&A chief executive Mark Darbon said in April he "would love" the course to host the tournament again, specifying that logistical issues pose the stumbling block, not who owns it.

The number of spectators attending the Open has dramatically increased since 120,000 people attended Turnberry in 2009, with 278,000 spectators set to attend this year's event at Royal Portrush.

For now, the Scottish Championship will thrust a Trump course into the spotlight.

Spaniard Adrian Otaegui was the winner of the inaugural Scottish Championship five years ago.