"All I would say is that Turnberry would have to give a lot of consideration to giving up their course to host the European Open"

Douglas Lowe shines a light on the R&A's latest act of hypocrisy reports that the R&A is not thrilled about Leisurecorp considering the European Open for years that Turnberry does not host the Open Championship.

David Hill, the R&A's director of championships, said at a news conference at Turnberry: "I don't think it would be ideal from the Open Championship's point of view if there was a European Open here for the next nine years. That doesn't mean to say that the European Open couldn't come here occasionally, but that's very much up to the Dubai team."

Key word there: Dubai.

Now, isn't the Open Championship played at a course that hosts an enormously tacky pro-am each fall? Oh yes, Mr. Lowe I didn't mean to steal your thunder:

Hill said the same principle applied to all other Open venues - Carnoustie, Royal Troon, Muirfield and St Andrews in Scotland and Royal St George's, Royal Birkdale, Royal Lytham and Hoylake in England - except for St Andrews, which stages the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship every October.

"St Andrews is unique," he said. "It has lots of other courses, the Dunhill comes right at the end of the season, and St Andrews is the home of golf. Basically, if you look at the other venues, having the Open there gives us lots of marketing kudos as part of our relationships and these courses are also hosting the Amateur Championship, Senior British Open and Women's British Open from time to time. So already these clubs are hosting a lot of events.

"All I would say is that Turnberry would have to give a lot of consideration to giving up their course to host the European Open as an annual event and be aware that if they did that they probably wouldn't get the Senior British Open, Women's British Open and Amateur Championship, and therefore leave a question mark over the Open."

Wow, such subtle blackmail.

Comments

[Mark Pearce]

I could have sworn that the same tacky pro-Am that St Andrews hosts also uses Carnoustie as a venue. Which suggests the same principle doesn't apply there, after all.

[johnny knoxville]

Since they cower at the feet of the B&I manufacturers, they have to wack someone about the head to feel good every now and then.

[Brad Ford]

Didn't Carnoustie recently host the Big Break?